White Plains Firefighter Pleads Guilty in Vehicular Homicide Case
Erik Refvik, the 35-year-old White Plains Firefighter involved in the early morning accident in downtown White Plains on November 3 that killed Reyda La Madrid and resulted in serious physical injuries to Edgar Lopez, pled guilty today to the entire 28 count indictment, which included vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated by alcohol and drugs.
“After spending the previous twelve hours drinking at numerous bars, this defendant operated his car in such an intoxicated and impaired condition that he drove down a major thoroughfare in the wrong direction for more than a third of a mile before colliding head-on into the victim’s vehicle and ending up crashing into the lobby of an office building. Today, as a result of his actions that night, this defendant has pled guilty to the most serious DWI charge in New York State and will face substantial time in state prison,” said District Attorney Janet DiFiore.
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, killing the passenger and seriously injuring the driver.
Over a span of nearly 12 hours preceding the collision, the defendant was seen on video drinking at a number of bars on Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains:
At the time of the collision, experts put the defendant’s blood alcohol content (BAC) 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 that same day by the White Plains police.
Subsequent to his guilty plea, the defendant was remanded until sentencing.
Sentencing will be on September 25, 2015.
Refvik faces an indeterminate sentence of a minimum of one to three to a maximum of eight and one third to twenty five years in prison.
Assistant District Attorney Michelle Lopez of the Superior Court Trial Division along with Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Strongin are prosecuting the case.
