Substance Abuse Counselor Sentenced to 24 Years to Life in Prison After Drunk Driving Accident

A speeding drunk driver who crashed into a Fourth of July barbecue and killed four people has been sentenced to 24 years to life in prison.

Daniel Hyden, a substance abuse counselor, had been kicked out of a bar before losing control of his pickup truck and ramming through a fence at a New York City park in 2024, per People.

According to prosectors, Hyden ran a stop sign and sped through a construction zone before crashing through the fence and into a crowd.

He attempted to flee by placing the truck in reverse, prosecutors said, until witnesses stopped him by removing the key from the ignition.

“Hyden had fully pressed down his gas pedal and did not hit his brakes until one-half second before the final crash,” prosecutors said.

“Four people were trapped underneath the pickup truck, with seven others struck and injured by the truck or debris.”

Hyden, 46, who was also a self-described wellness advocate, wrote a book about sobriety titled The Sober Addict. Prosecutors cited his background during his trial as evidence that Hyden was aware of his actions that night.

He was convicted in November after a two-week, nonjury trial and found guilty on 12 counts, including second-degree murder and aggravated assault.

At his sentencing on Jan. 16, Starkema Lewis, who lost two relatives in the horrific crash, slammed Hyden’s “reckless and selfish actions.”

“Daniel made the conscious choice to drink and drive, fully aware of the risk,” she said in court, according to The New York Times. “Fully aware of the devastation it would cause.”