NJ man convicted of drunk-driving murder in July 4th crash that killed 4 in NYC park

A New Jersey Man Found Guilty of Drunk-Driving Murder in NYC Park Tragedy

A gruesome July Fourth crash at Corlears Hook Park in Manhattan has claimed the lives of four people, and now 46-year-old Daniel Hyden from New Jersey faces the ultimate price for his reckless actions. Convicted on Monday of second-degree murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, and assault, Hyden's license to drive was revoked a long time ago - by his own poor judgment.

Prosecutors presented a damning case against Hyden, painting a picture of a driver who was intoxicated beyond all reason when he careened out of control through the park. With a speed of over 50 miles per hour, Hyden showed no regard for human life as he plowed into a group of people enjoying a barbecued meal. His actions were all too typical of those who choose to drink and drive - a decision that would ultimately seal their fate.

Among the victims were Lucille Pinkney, 59, and Herman Pinkney, 38, mother and son from nearby NYCHA's Vladeck Houses; Ana Morel, 43, and Emily Ruiz, 30, both residents of the same building. Seven others were also injured in the crash, some so severely that they struggled to walk.

In a bizarre twist, Hyden attempted to flee the scene by reversing his truck, but witnesses intervened and took control of the situation. The former employee at a substance abuse center had once held promise, earning a master's degree in psychology and addiction counseling from Aspen University just two years ago.

As the court waits for his sentencing on December 3rd, Hyden will have to come to terms with the consequences of his actions - a life sentence that may be more than he can bear. The DA's office has issued a statement expressing solidarity with the families of those killed, calling the tragedy an "horrific act of vehicular violence."

OMG, like, can you even believe what happened in that NYC park?! This guy Daniel Hyden is literally, like, the WORST! He's not just guilty of murder and drunk-driving (which is already insane), but also assault? Like, how does one person affect so many lives?! And to think he was trying to flee the scene by reversing his truck... what's wrong with this guy?!

And poor Lucille and Herman Pinkney... I mean, their son Herman is only 38?! That's crazy! And Ana Morel and Emily Ruiz were just minding their own business having a BBQ, enjoying some food and good times... and then BAM! This truck comes out of nowhere and it's like, life changes forever.

I'm all about second chances, but this guy was given so many opportunities to get his life together - he even had a master's degree in psychology! What happened? Did he just lose himself or something?!

Anyway, life sentence is like, the least they can give him. I hope he has time to reflect on his actions and think about all the people he hurt... because it's not just about him anymore, it's about the families who lost their loved ones .

this guy is beyond lucky to still be alive after putting those lives at risk, like what was he even thinking?! he knew his license was revoked and yet he just went ahead and did it anyway. the whole thing is just so senseless, especially with all these young people involved - 30 years old, 43, and a 38-year-old mom... can you imagine how hard this must be for their families? and now he gets to live with that guilt for the rest of his life. I'm glad justice is being served but it's just not enough, 5-10 years would've been harsher punishment in my opinion

The stats are just mind-boggling : 4 lives lost, 7 injured, all because one guy's drunk-driving led to this chaos . And what really gets me is that his license was revoked way back when... by his own poor decisions . The speed of over 50 miles per hour? That's just insane! If you're planning on drinking and driving, the chances of surviving are basically zero .

And let's not forget the victims: Lucille Pinkney (59), Herman Pinkney (38), Ana Morel (43), Emily Ruiz (30)... all just trying to enjoy a July Fourth BBQ when this monster comes out of nowhere . The average speed of 50 miles per hour is roughly 1/5th of the speed limit in NYC . What's going through someone's head when they drive like that?

The DA's office statement about the "horrific act of vehicular violence" sums it up perfectly . And now, Daniel Hyden faces a life sentence... which may be just a taste of what he deserves .

According to the FBI, there were 11,654 DUI-related fatalities in the US between 2018-2022 . Can you imagine how many more lives could've been saved if people didn't drink and drive?

ugh this is just so senseless. like whats even the point of having a master's degree if you're just gonna be some drunk who kills people on purpose? and to think he was trying to flee the scene by reversing his truck lol what a joke. it's not like that would've gotten him out of getting caught or something. anyway, i hope his family is mentally prepared for the weight of this sentence - a life without freedom because of his own stupidity. and 7 people are lucky to be alive? that's just heartbreaking

Man... this whole thing is just heartbreaking . You got this guy who's supposed to be helping people deal with addiction issues, and he ends up killing four innocent people in one of the most senseless ways possible. It's like, what were they thinking? I mean, I know he had a degree in psychology and everything, but apparently that didn't translate to being able to handle his own life .

And can you even believe he tried to flee the scene by reversing his truck? That's just insane. Witnesses stepping up and taking control is what we need more of in situations like this - people who care enough to do something about it.

The whole thing just feels so avoidable if he had just taken responsibility for his own actions and didn't drink and drive. Now, four families are going to have to live with the weight of losing their loved ones because of one reckless decision. It's just devastating .

man... this is like the darkest day in NYC every year on July 4th ... you feel me? it's like our city never learns from its past mistakes. but at least we got a conviction and justice will be served . my heart goes out to those families, especially Lucille & Herman Pinkney - poor souls . it's just so sad that their lives were cut short in an instant. i hope Daniel Hyden gets the help he needs before his sentencing . and can we talk about how messed up our roads are if a drunk driver can go 50 miles per hour through a park? safety first, y'all!

man... 46 and still driving drunk? that's just crazy . reminds me of when my cousin's bro died in a car crash back in '02. it was during labor day weekend too... he was also speeding, but not as fast as this guy... anyway, the fact that hyden had a masters degree in psychology and addiction counseling and still did that... it just shows how flawed our system is . shouldn't we have better programs to help people like him instead of just punishing them?

omg this is just so heartbreaking the guy must've been out of his mind to think he could drive after drinking that much and in a public park where people are just chillin like what was going through his head? anyway, i feel for the victims' families they deserve justice and peace. 4 lives lost is just too many and it's not fair that this senseless tragedy has to happen. the court needs to take a hard stance on this one and make sure he pays for his actions

man this is so messed up 46 and you're already thinking about your last days on earth? it's not even like he was trying to get away from a fight or anything, just drove drunk into a group of people having a BBQ in the park... what is wrong with people nowadays? anyway, i'm glad someone held him accountable for his actions, but life sentence is still harsh - maybe a longer one so he can have time to think about all the lives he ruined

omg what a total slap in the face to humanity like what even possessed this dude to drive drunk on 4th of july lol and btw his license was already revoked like 5 years ago so not exactly new news anyway its sad that his own personal demons led to this tragedy hopefully he can spend his life behind bars thinking about the consequences of his actions

omg I'm still shook by this news ... like what even is wrong with people who drink and drive? it's just not worth it, you know? I mean Daniel Hyden had a master's degree in psychology, for crying out loud! he should've known better. my cousin's aunt was involved in a similar accident last year, thank god she survived but it's just so scary thinking about what could've happened... the fact that 7 people were hurt is just devastating . I hope Hyden gets the max sentence on the 3rd , he needs to face consequences for his reckless actions

This whole thing is just heartbreaking... I mean, what was going through his head? He knew he couldn't drive after drinking and yet he did it anyway. The fact that he tried to flee the scene just shows how scared he must've been - like, what's more scary than facing your own guilt? And poor Ana & Emily were just enjoying a BBQ in the park... can you even imagine if this was your family? It's crazy that his license got revoked years ago but apparently didn't stop him from doing something so reckless. I feel for the Pinkney and Ruiz families - no one should have to go through this kind of pain

can't believe people still do this... like what is wrong with ppl? drink and drive and now innocent lives lost . I know ppl can make mistakes but this guy's license was revoked yrs ago and he still went out and did it... it's just senseless . the victims were just trying to have a normal july 4th BBQ and now they're gone . justice is gonna be served but i hope the guy understands the gravity of his actions . life sentence is too harsh tho, maybe rehabilitation instead?

Man, this is just another example of how the system always finds a way to protect itself... I mean, I'm not saying Daniel Hyden was set up or anything, but have you seen his resume? Master's degree in psychology and addiction counseling from Aspen University? That sounds too good to be true. What if it's all just a smokescreen for something deeper?

And let's not forget about the fact that he was revoked of his license years ago... but still managed to drive drunk on July 4th? It's almost like they gave him a clean slate, you know? I'm not buying it. There's gotta be more to this story than meets the eye.

I mean, what if the DA's office is just trying to cover their own tracks? What if this whole thing was just an accident waiting to happen? And now, Hyden's getting a life sentence for something that could've been prevented with better surveillance or road design. It's all too convenient, you know?

OMG what is wrong with people who drink and drive?! 1st of all, Daniel Hyden was already on probation for driving under the influence in NJ, so like, how did he even get behind the wheel? and that park was literally filled with families and friends having a BBQ... it's like he chose to target innocent people. and I'm still trying to process how someone who had a master's degree in psychology could be so reckless and selfish. 4 lives lost is just devastating, and now his own life will be ruined too.

man this is just so sad like what kinda person drives drunk and kills people on purpose? it's crazy they had to go through that traumatic event in the park and now Daniel Hyden has to live with the guilt for the rest of his life his license was revoked years ago but he still chose to get behind the wheel... it's just so senseless I feel bad for the victims' families who have to go through this holiday season without their loved ones, my heart goes out to them

man this guy is so lucky to still be alive, like 50 miles per hour in a park? what was he even thinking?! and now four lives lost, it's just heartbreaking. i feel for the victims' families, can't even imagine how much pain they're going through. the fact that he had to flee the scene by reversing his truck is just crazy, like what else was he gonna do, just sit there? anyway, life sentence sounds about right, maybe it'll be a wake up call for him... btw, i'm still loyal to my platform

I'm shocked by this case, the speed of 50 miles per hour is insane! Can you imagine driving that fast in a park? It's just not right. The fact that Daniel Hyden was found guilty of second-degree murder and aggravated vehicular homicide shows how severe his actions were. My heart goes out to the families of the victims, Lucille and Herman Pinkney, Ana Morel, and Emily Ruiz. They deserve justice and my condolences.

This guy Daniel Hyden thought he was above the law? Revoked his license years ago for drink-driving and now he's paying the ultimate price. I'm so sad about the families who lost loved ones, especially the mother & son duo Lucille & Herman Pinkney . The fact that he tried to flee the scene by reversing his truck is just insane . A life sentence seems like a fitting punishment for his reckless actions, but I'm sure it won't bring back those who were taken from us far too soon . It's always a wake-up call when someone gets caught and realizes their mistakes have consequences .