A driver is facing serious charges after a high speed crash on Long Island killed two of the young people riding in his car. Both passengers were just 19 years old, and prosecutors have laid out a case that centres on how fast the vehicle was being driven and how it had been altered. The case has shaken those who knew the victims and drawn attention to the dangers of street racing.
At the heart of the case is the man who was behind the wheel, Frank Labidi. The two passengers who died, Lindsey Parke and Alexa Duryea, were both 19, and their deaths have turned a single late night drive into a criminal prosecution. For their families and friends, the loss is sudden and devastating.
Prosecutors say the speed involved was extreme. According to investigators, the car was being driven at more than double the speed limit, recorded at around 82 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone. Data from the vehicle showed it was at full acceleration with no braking in the final seconds before the impact.
The crash itself was catastrophic. The driver lost control, crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a tree and a building. The force of the collision killed both passengers, who had no way of protecting themselves once the car left the road at such speed.
Investigators also focused on the condition of the car. They say its stability control, a key safety feature designed to help keep a vehicle under control, had been manually disabled. Authorities add that Labidi had spent more than 35,000 dollars modifying the vehicle and had a history of racing it, including at a track.
Those reacting to the case stressed how easily the danger could have spread beyond the car. People who spoke about the crash noted that a driver travelling at that speed could have killed anyone else on the road, from other motorists to passers by. The recklessness, they argued, put far more than the passengers at risk.
Labidi has been charged with two counts of second degree manslaughter and two counts of second degree assault. He has pleaded not guilty, and he faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. The case is set to move through the courts as prosecutors press the charges.
Since then, the case has taken a further turn. The driver is now behind bars after prosecutors say he violated the conditions of his release. The Nassau County District Attorney's Office says he was caught driving with a suspended license while renting U-Haul trailers to transport cars for sale in New York. As a result, he is now being held without bail, a sharp change from his earlier release as he awaits trial.