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July 26, 2021 By Christian Murray
A 42-year-old man who allegedly drove drunk and fatally crashed into a young mother and her 10-year-old daughter on Saturday night has been charged with vehicular homicide, according to the Queens District Attorney.
Tyrone Absolam, 42, of Jamaica, N.Y., allegedly was driving drunk at a high rate of speed when he plowed into the car of a 31-year-old woman and her daughter at the intersection of Guy R. Brewer and Rockaway boulevards near JFK Airport at around 8:45 p.m.
“The defendant’s selfish, illegal choices resulted in the tragic death of a 10-year-old girl and her mother,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz in announcing the charges.
Absolam has been charged with multiple crimes including two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide; two counts of criminally negligent homicide; two counts of manslaughter in the second degree; endangering the welfare of a child; and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
If convicted, Absalom faces up to 25 years in prison.
Police said Absolam, who was driving westbound on Rockaway Boulevard, collided with the victims while they were making a left turn from Rockaway Boulevard onto Guy R Brewer Boulevard.
Diana Granobles, 31, and her daughter, Isabella Granobles, 10, of Copiague, Long Island, were traveling eastbound on Rockaway Boulevard in a 2019 Chevy Cruz when they were hit while making the turn. They were both pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital, police said.
Absolam, who was driving a 2018 Nissan Altima, had three passengers in his car — a 38-year-old female front seat passenger, a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl in the backseat. All four were also injured in the crash, police said.
Absolam was reported to be in serious condition and the 38-year-old female in critical condition. They were both transported by EMS to Jamaica Hospital, according to police.
The 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl were transported by EMS to Long Island Jewish Cohen Children’s Medical Center; both in serious but stable condition, police said.
“The rules of the road are not suggestions,” Katz said. “They exist to keep motor vehicles from becoming deadly objects of destruction. When they are ignored the results can be catastrophic.”
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