NYPD Det. George Moore, of Freeport, charged with aggravated vehicular assault, DWI in crash
A veteran NYPD officer surrendered to Nassau County authorities Wednesday to answer charges he injured two people and himself while driving to work after a night of drinking, prosecutors said.
George Moore, 40, a 10-year veteran of the city police department, had a blood-alcohol content of more than double the legal limit when he crashed his Mercedes-Benz into another vehicle while “driving aggressively” on the Meadowbrook State Parkway in August, Nassau County Assistant District Attorney Nicole Vota said at the defendant's arraignment in Mineola.
The charges are contained in a 10-count indictment; if convicted he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Just before 5 a.m. on Aug. 4, Moore collided with a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling in the center lane, crashed into the center divider before hitting a tree on the right side of the parkway, authorities said.
Vota said Moore had been out all night drinking in Rockville Centre bars and was headed to the 103rd Precinct station house in eastern Queens, where he works with the warrant squad.
His Mercedes burst into flames with Moore and the passenger, a woman, still inside. The woman, who was injured, was forced to crawl out of the passenger-side window and then drag an unconscious Moore through the driver-side window, Vota said.
The passenger suffered a fractured wrist, foot and spine, Vota said.
The driver of the Jeep, also a woman, injured her back, left shoulder and knee, prosecutors said.
Moore broke his pelvis, arm and leg.
Vota said that the officer made incriminating statements at the scene that were recorded by the body camera recorder of responding officers.
According to the statements, he tried to draft the Nassau officers and New York State troopers at the scene to retrieve his gun from the burning car.
“Please, help me with this [expletive] gun right now, man," he told the responding officers.
He also tried to get the officers to help him leave the scene where the two women were injured.
“Please get me out of here," he asked the trooper.
Moore was not arrested at the scene, despite a blood-alcohol level of .18 or more. He was brought before the grand jury after a lengthy investigation and indicted.
Moore was charged with aggravated vehicular assault, assault, drunken driving, reckless endangerment and other related charges — 10 counts in all.
At the hearing Wednesday before Judge Howard Sturim, prosecutors asked for $100,000 bail.
His lawyer, Peter Brill, said Moore, who lives in Freeport with his fiancee and 2-year-old daughter, assured the judge that his client would return to court to face the charges.
“There are few people who would be less likely to show up to court,” the lawyer said. “His life was marred, unfortunately with two other people, on that day.”
The judge released Moore on his own recognizance, but suspended his driver’s license and ordered that he undergo pretrial alcohol monitoring.
Moore is scheduled to be back in court on March 14.
A spokesperson for the NYPD said the detective has been suspended without pay.
More rain for LI ... Thanksgiving travel ... Penny trial continues ... FeedMe: Holiday pies
More rain for LI ... Thanksgiving travel ... Penny trial continues ... FeedMe: Holiday pies