By Joe Anuta
A woman accused of drunk driving and crashing into a Rosedale marsh Sunday was charged with the drowning death of one of her passengers, the Queens district attorney said.
Denise Finley, of Arverne, was behind the wheel of a 2000 Ford Focus carrying five passengers at about 5 a.m. when she lost control of the vehicle and careened into the marshland near the intersection of Brookville and Rockaway boulevards, according to the DA.
Finley and other passengers made it out of the partially submerged vehicle once it hit the water, but 25-year-old Dominique Jamison was trapped inside and later removed by emergency personnel, according to the DA.
Jamison was taken to Jamaica Hospital and pronounced dead, the DA said.
Finley was arrested and charged with manslaughter, driving under the influence and driving without a license, according to the DA.
Officers who responded to the scene reported that Finley smelled of alcohol and had watery, blood-shot eyes, the DA said. She allegedly told officers that she drank a cup of vodka and cranberry juice at Skylark Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge in Springfield Gardens before she drove, according to the DA.
Finley told officers that she stepped on the brake while navigating the roadway and the wheels locked up and sent the car tumbling off the road, according to the DA.
Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail at januta@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
