Former White Plains Firefighter Sentenced 5 to 15 Years in Vehicular Homicide
Erik Refvik (DOB 12/17/79) of 42 Barker Avenue, White Plains, a former firefighter, was sentenced to an indeterminate term of five to fifteen years in prison on his guilty plea to a 16-count indictment charging him with Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Manslaughter, and Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated among other charges relating to the death of Reyda La Madrid and the serious injuries to Edgar Lopez.
The sentence was announced on Friday, September 25.
“As a result of his actions last November, and after pleading guilty to the most serious DWI charge in New York State, this defendant will now face substantial time in state prison. While that won’t replace the loss of a wife and mother, and cannot repair the damage done to the victim’s family, hopefully it will give the family some measure of closure,” said District Attorney Janet DiFiore in a press statement.
According to Court documents, on November 3, 2014 at approximately 4:30 a.m., the defendant while operating his 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe at approximately 65 miles per hour collided with a 2000 Honda Civic that was waiting at a traffic light. The force of the head-on collision pushed the Honda nearly half a football field down South Lexington Avenue in White Plains, killing the passenger and seriously injuring the driver.
The DA further alleges that over a span of nearly 12 hours preceding the collision, the defendant was seen on video drinking at a minimum of four bars on Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains including The Brazen Fox, Hudson Grille, Copper Face Jacks and Black Bear.
At the time of the collision, experts put the defendant’s blood alcohol content at .21, more than 2-1/2 times the legal limit. In addition, he had a cocktail of exacerbating substances in his system, which consisted of cocaine, clonazepam, and bath salts.
The defendant was arrested at the Westchester Medical Center the same day of the accident by the White Plains police.
Bail was increased to $50,000. The defendant’s next court appearance will be on March 26, 2015. Refvik faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
Assistant District Attorneys Michelle Lopez of the Superior Court Trial Division are prosecuted the case.
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