A Long Island man accused in a deadly crash is back behind bars after a court appearance that underscored the gravity of the case against him. Frank Labidi, who is charged with manslaughter for a crash that killed two women, remained in custody following the hearing. The proceeding kept him locked up as the case moves forward, with the families of the victims watching closely.
What brought him back into custody was not the original crash alone, but his conduct since. Labidi remained remanded today after his bail was taken away, with the court acting on allegations that he had been driving with a suspended license. That alleged violation, while out on bail in a case born of a fatal crash, cost him his release and returned him to jail.
The crash at the center of the case dates back several months. Investigators say that in January, Labidi was speeding when he lost control of a car. The vehicle then slammed into a tree and a building in Hicksville, a violent end to a drive that prosecutors have framed as reckless from the start.
The human cost of that crash was severe. Two 19-year-old passengers who were in his car were killed, two young lives cut short in the wreck. It is their deaths that form the basis of the manslaughter charge Labidi now faces, turning a single crash into a case being fought out in court.
The loss has drawn the victims' loved ones into the courtroom. Family members attended today's hearing, sitting through the proceeding that will help determine how the case against Labidi unfolds. Their presence put a face to the grief that has followed the crash, as the legal process grinds on.
For at least one of those family members, the defendant's demeanor has only deepened the pain. They said he shows no remorse toward the girls and is not taking the court seriously, drawing a line between his conduct in the courtroom and what they described as his failure to take driving seriously in the first place. The criticism captured the family's frustration with how he has carried himself.
For now, the case remains unresolved and headed back to court. Labidi has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, setting the stage for the matter to be contested rather than quickly closed. His next court date is set for July 6th, when the case will move another step forward with the victims' families still seeking accountability.