Driver Sentenced After Four Killed at Lower East Side Barbecue
Daniel Hyden drove a Ford F-150 into people gathered near Water and Jackson streets by Corlears Hook Park at 8:52 p.m. on July 4, 2024, and the official record lists four pedestrians killed and eight people injured.
What We Know
Daniel Hyden drove a Ford F-150 into people gathered for a Fourth of July celebration at Corlears Hook Park on the Lower East Side. The official record lists four pedestrians killed and eight people injured at Water and Jackson streets. Press reports identified the dead as Lucille Pinkney; her 38-year-old son, reported as Herman in some accounts and Hernan in others; Ana Morel; and Emily Ruiz, who died after days on life support. Prosecutors said Hyden was going more than 50 mph and did not brake until just before impact. He was later convicted of second-degree murder, aggravated vehicular homicide and assault, and sentenced to 24 years to life in prison.
A holiday gathering became a mass-casualty crash
The official record places the crash at Water Street and Jackson Street in Manhattan at 8:52 p.m. on July 4, 2024. It lists a pickup truck and reports four pedestrians killed, seven pedestrians injured, and one motorist injured.
Press reports said Daniel Hyden drove a Ford F-150 through the intersection, onto the sidewalk, and into Corlears Hook Park, where people were celebrating Independence Day. Prosecutors later said he was going more than 50 mph and did not brake until a half-second before impact.
Water Street, Jackson Street, and Corlears Hook Park
The crash happened at Water Street and Jackson Street on the Lower East Side, next to Corlears Hook Park. News accounts described the victims and survivors as residents, family members, and friends gathered for a community barbecue near the Vladeck Houses.
The location mattered because people were not described as crossing a roadway. The official person records list the four people killed as pedestrians who were not in the roadway, and press accounts said Hyden drove into the park area where people had gathered.
Four pedestrians died, and families described lasting harm
The official record lists the people killed as pedestrians: women ages 30, 43, and 59, and a man age 38.
Press accounts identified the 59-year-old as Lucille Pinkney, the 43-year-old as Ana Morel, and the 30-year-old as Emily Ruiz. Reports disagreed on the 38-year-old Pinkney victim’s first name, using Herman in some accounts and Hernan in others.
Relatives described the toll in personal terms. Diamond Pinkney told the New York Post that his mother and brother were killed a block from their Water Street home. Emily Ruiz’s mother said Ruiz’s young son tried to get a first aid kit for her and later missed her every night.
The driver was in a Ford pickup
The official vehicle record lists a 2017 Ford pickup traveling north and going straight ahead before impact, with damage to the center front end and front bumper areas. Press reports described Hyden’s vehicle as a Ford F-150.
Alcohol, speed, and late braking were central at trial
Gothamist reported that prosecutors said Hyden drove drunk, was traveling more than 50 mph, and did not brake until a half-second before the crash. At sentencing, Judge April Newbauer said Hyden knew his choices could easily lead to death.
The New York Post reported that Hyden had been charged with driving while intoxicated after the crash. Later reports said he was convicted of second-degree murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, and assault.
Hyden was sentenced to 24 years to life
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge April Newbauer sentenced Hyden to 24 years to life in prison in January 2026. Gothamist reported that he had initially pleaded not guilty but was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder, aggravated vehicular homicide, and assault.
Survivors and relatives gave impact statements describing injuries, trauma, and the way the Fourth of July changed for families and the Lower East Side community.