Woman dies in freak accident
Run over by niece in Splish Splash lot
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A Bronx woman died Monday after being accidentally hit by a car driven by her niece in the parking lot of Splish Splash water park in Calverton, according to Riverhead Town Police, who arrested the niece on a driving while intoxicated charge.
Yerardin Gil, 20, of Miriam Avenue in the Bronx, was charged with DWI after accidentally driving into three family members at about 6 p.m. Monday, police said.
The three family members, all of whom had the same Bronx address as Ms. Gil, were having lunch on the grass median in the parking lot at the west end of the water park, according to police.
Ms. Gil got into the driver's seat of her boyfriend's 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche and mistakenly drove the car forward, jumping the curb and hitting the other three people, who were picnicking in front of the car, police said.
The three family members were identified as Ms. Gil's aunt Rosa Ortiz, 43, her stepfather Tomas Esquerdo, 41, and her mother, Dolcina Ortiz, 38.
All three were taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center, where Rosa Ortiz was later pronounced dead, according to police.
Ms. Gil also was charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. She pled not guilty at her arraignment Tuesday and was ordered held on $50,000 bail.
Detective Sgt. Joseph Loggia of the Riverhead Town police said Ms. Gil admitted to having had beer and submitted to a blood test. If the test results are over the threshold for DWI, the charges could be increased to a vehicular assault or vehicular manslaughter. If they come in below the threshold for driving while ability impaired, the DWI charge could be dropped altogether.
"The indications are that she was going to drive over to pick up other family members in other parts of the park," Sgt. Loggia said. While Ms. Gil did not have a driver's license, Sgt. Loggia said, "we don't know the extent of her ability to drive."
"At this time, we're looking at it as an accident," Sgt. Loggia said. "There was alcohol involved, but there was no intention to hurt anybody."
tgannon@timesreview.com
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