Former FDNY Firefighter Faces Manslaughter Charges in Deadly DWI Crash

Court Proceedings for Michael Peña

• 👨‍🚒 Michael Peña, a former FDNY firefighter, is facing manslaughter and DWI charges in Queens criminal court.
• ⚖️ He is accused of causing a fatal crash while allegedly drunk and high, leading to the death of Justin Diaz.
• 🏛️ Peña is being arraigned on a grand jury indictment, with details of the investigation expected to be unsealed.

The Fatal Crash and Victim Impact

• 🚗 The crash occurred on February 26th when Peña allegedly t-boned Diaz's BMW on Northern Boulevard.
• 💨 Authorities state Peña was speeding, drunk, and high, running a red light at three times the speed limit.
• 💔 Justin Diaz, 23, was on his way to an early morning shift at LaGuardia Airport and was just a block and a half from his home.
• 🎓 Diaz's family shared that his college degree arrived two days after his death, intensifying their grief.

Family's Demand for Justice

• ✊ Nearly two dozen members of the Diaz family attended the arraignment, demanding justice for Justin.
• 🗣️ The victim's mother stated, "My son's life mattered just like anybody else's. An innocent 23 year old going to work."
• 🚗 Diaz had worked overtime to save for his BMW, the car in which he was tragically killed, a dream shattered by the incident.
• 💔 The family expressed their profound heartbreak, emphasizing that their son's dreams were destroyed.