A Jamaica man who was allegedly driving drunk in a collision that killed a mother and daughter near JFK Airport on July 24 had a bedside arraignment just days later.
Tyrone Absolam, 41, of 133rd Avenue is charged in a criminal complaint with two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and a slew of other charges.
Absolam was reportedly in stable condition at Jamaica Hospital, where he was arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Jerry Iannece on Thursday, July 29.
According to the charges, Absolam was driving a 2018 Nissan Altima westbound on Rockaway Boulevard at a high rate of speed around 8:45 p.m. Saturday evening when he collided with a gray 2019 Chevy Cruze, driven by Diana Granobles, 31, at the intersection of Guy R. Brewer Boulevard.
Granobles, of Copiague, Long Island, was driving with her 10-year-old daughter Isabella eastbound and making a left northbound turn onto Guy R. Brewer Boulevard when the impact occurred. Katz said police responding to the collision observed Absolam to have bloodshot, watery eyes and to be in an intoxicated condition.
According to the charges, the officers administered two standardized field sobriety tests to the defendant and he failed them both.
At the time of arrest, according to the charges, Absolam told police, “I drank from my girlfriend’s cup of vodka and iced tea around 5 p.m. while we were at the beach. I was driving the grey Nissan that got into the accident. I just got it. It’s a new car. There are no issues with it. I was driving 50 miles per hour.”
The posted speed limit on Rockaway Boulevard and Guy R. Brewer Boulevard is 35 miles per hour, according to the Queens district attorney’s office.
Absolam and his 38-year-old girlfriend were transported to Jamaica Hospital while her two children, a 10-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, were taken to Long Island Jewish Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center in serious but stable condition, according to the NYPD.
Granobles and her daughter were immediately transported to Jamaica Hospital, where they were pronounced dead from their injuries.
Judge Iannece set Absolam’s next court date for July 30. If convicted, Absolam faces up to 25 years in prison.
