Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Freeport man was arraigned on aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges for allegedly driving drunk and striking and killing a 24-year-old woman as she crossed the street in March 2023.
Tyshaun Johashen, 32, was arraigned yesterday before Judge Robert Bogle on charges of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (a B felony), Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree (a C felony), Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a C felony), Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a D felony), Assault in the Second Degree (a D violent felony), Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated (an unclassified misdemeanor), Reckless Driving (an unclassified misdemeanor), two counts of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of Alcohol (unclassified misdemeanors), Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the First Degree (an E Felony), Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Second Degree (an unclassified misdemeanor), and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree (an unclassified misdemeanor). The defendant pleaded not guilty, and bail was continued at $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, and $2.25 million partially secured bond. Johashen is due back in court on August 1, 2023. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 8-1/3 to 25 years in prison.
“This defendant, driving despite having his license suspended because of a pending DWI charge in New York City, was allegedly three times the legal limit for alcohol when he struck and killed Mia Pollidore as she simply tried to cross the street,” said DA Donnelly. “As we prosecute this case, we are also entering what is known as the 100 deadliest days on our roadways. I urge everyone taking to Nassau County’s highways, parkways, and streets to exercise their common sense: do not drink and drive. We cannot lose another life to drunk driving.”
DA Donnelly said that, according to the charges, on March 1, 2023, at approximately 7:02 p.m., the victim, 24-year-old Mia Pollidore, was walking westbound across Babylon Turnpike just south of the intersection of Babylon Turnpike and Carroll Street. The defendant, driving a 2018 Nissan Sentra, was allegedly highly intoxicated while driving southbound on Babylon Turnpike when he struck the victim as she crossed the street.
The victim suffered trauma to her head and legs and was pronounced deceased at the scene at 7:11 p.m.
Johashen was arrested at the scene by members of the Nassau County and Freeport Police Departments.
The defendant’s driver’s license had been suspended in September 2022 pursuant to a pending DWI prosecution in Queens.
Senior Assistant District Attorneys Tara DePalo and Brianna Ryan of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau are prosecuting the case. The defendant is represented by Richard Langone, Esq.
The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
