Man who drove drunk into LES crowd on July 4 found guilty of 4 counts of 2nd degree murder

Monday, November 3, 2025
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Daniel Hyden was found guilty on four counts of second-degree murder after driving his pickup truck into a crowd celebrating July 4, 2024 in a Lower East Side park killing four people.

Hyden, who has authored a book on alcoholism, was convicted of murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, and assault.

"He's just making me relive what happened that night so it wasn't a great feeling that day and wasn't a great feeling now," victim Hector Moreno said.

Moreno was with friends and family at a barbecue in the same park on the Lower East Side where Lucille and Herman Pinkney didn't make it.

Lucille and Herman Pinkney, a mother and son, died just a few feet apart.



"My sister won't know he had a baby or if he's going to have a baby, she ain't going to be a grandmother, he get to be a big uncle," Liana Lewis, the victim's sister said.

Video played at trial showed Hyden fighting not far away from the park at Pier 36 as security wouldn't let him on a party boat because he was too drunk.

Police escorted him out of the area and body camera footage captured the 46-year-old telling officers his truck was parked nearby.

Cameras show Hyden speeding toward the park. Officials said his blood alcohol level was .17.

"He sped through two stops signs, plowed through a park fence and never took his foot off the gas," Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said.



He pinned several who died under his truck.

Four people were killed, and seven more were hurt. The youngest was 11 years old.

Lilly Ruiz was in the park that night with her daughter, Emily Ruiz and Emily's then 6-year-old son.

The 30-year-old was rushed the hospital. Her little boy brought his toy first aide kit saying, "I don't want my mom to die, she's a great person."

Five days later, Ruiz died.



Lucille and Herman Pinkney, a mother and son, died just a few feet apart.

Hyden is set to be sentenced on December 3.

2 killed, 7 injured by suspected drunk driver at park on Lower East Side


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