A Woodmere man, Brian Antonio Lopez Cruz, 22, was indicted on multiple charges including Aggravated Vehicular Homicide after a tragic drunk driving accident in Rockville Centre that killed his 28-year-old cousin and seriously injured another passenger.
Lopez Cruz was arraigned today before Judge Tammy Robbins on grand jury charges that include Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (B felony), Manslaughter in the Second Degree (C felony), Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (D felony), two counts of Assault in the Second Degree (D felony), Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree (E felony), as well as multiple misdemeanors related to driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. The defendant pleaded not guilty and was remanded. He is scheduled to return to court on August 27, 2025, and faces up to 8⅓ to 25 years in prison if convicted.
According to Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly, Lopez Cruz had been drinking beer with family and friends before driving a 2010 Nissan Altima southbound on Peninsula Boulevard at a high speed early on September 17, 2023. He lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road and collided with a tree.
The crash instantly killed 28-year-old Merlin Lopez, the defendant’s cousin. Another passenger, 32, sustained severe injuries including a fractured pelvis, broken ribs, and a perforated colon, requiring extensive surgery at NYU Langone Hospital Long Island. Lopez Cruz himself suffered head trauma and internal bleeding and also underwent surgery at the hospital.
An investigation revealed that Lopez Cruz had been at a bar in Hempstead for several hours prior to the crash, where he allegedly consumed multiple alcoholic drinks. He was arrested on August 4, 2025, by Nassau County Police Department detectives.
District Attorney Donnelly condemned the reckless behavior, saying, “Speed and alcohol are a deadly combination. Lopez Cruz’s alleged actions ended the life of a young relative and severely injured another. This kind of selfishness and recklessness on our roads must stop.”
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Nicole Vota of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Michael Bushwack, and Executive Assistant District Attorney Kevin Higgins. Lopez Cruz is represented by Joseph Lo Piccolo, Esq.
The charges remain accusations, and Lopez Cruz is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
