Lower East Side residents and community leaders converged at Corlears Hook Park Sunday afternoon for a prayer vigil in memory of three people who were killed the evening of July 4 when the driver of a pickup truck came barreling through the park.
Thanks to Ritu Saheb for these photos from the vigil, led by Pastor Marc Rivera of Primitive Christian Church and organized by district leaders Daisy Paez, Mariami James and Ron Thomas.
Police say the driver, Daniel Hyden, was coming down Water Street at a high rate of speed Thursday evening just before 9 pm and that he sped through the stop sign at Jackson Street, jumped onto the sidewalk and crashed into the park.
Lower East Side residents Lucille Pinkney, 59, and her son, Hernan Pinkney, 38 were killed, along with 43-year-old Ana Morel. Eight others were injured.
Hyden was taken to the 7th Precinct and charged with vehicular homicide, eight counts of assault, three counts of driving while intoxicated and one count related to driving with a suspended or revoked license. He’s being held without bail.
According to Channel 7, “Police traced Hyden’s steps to find his whereabouts prior to the crash to a boat party on Pier 36. He was apparently denied entry for being too drunk. Hyden then got into a heated dispute with a bouncer before being refunded and leaving the location.”
The Post reported that Hyden once lived in New Jersey but now is a Bronx resident. He is supposedly a substance abuse counselor who wrote a book called, “The Sober Addict.”
The Post also spoke with Herman Pinkney’s brother, Desmond, who described him as a, “class clown kind of guy” who could bring out smiles. And Desmond called his mom the, “definition of hard work.” On Juky 4th, he had hoped she would take some time to relax and enjoy a day off at home.
