Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A Bay Shore father and son face felony charges after prosecutors said the dad poured vodka shots for his 19-year-old son inside a Bentley just before the teen drove off drunk and killed another man in a crash on Sunrise Highway in Massapequa.
Brian August, 19, of Bay Shore was allegedly driving with more than twice the legal limit for alcohol when he struck 48-year-old Willie Singleton’s Polaris Slingshot on April 19, killing Singleton and sending his wife to the hospital with major injuries, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. August’s father, Brian Kitchen, 42, of Freeport, was also charged for allegedly serving his son liquor before the crash.
Donnelly said August had been “in the driver’s seat of his father’s Bentley tossing back multiple shots of vodka” before turning sharply across multiple lanes of traffic on Sunrise Highway at Unqua Road and colliding with Singleton’s three-wheeled vehicle. Prosecutors said Kitchen allegedly served his son liquor before the crash — some of which he gave to August inside the Bentley.
Willie Singleton, who was from Bay Shore, was thrown from the Slingshot and pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital a short time later. His wife Aryn suffered major injuries that required surgery and the insertion of a metal rod in her leg, according to prosecutors.
Investigators recovered a 1.75-liter bottle of vodka and several empty miniature bottles from the car, according to the DA’s office. Blood drawn from August about four hours after the crash showed a blood alcohol content of 0.20 percent, officials said — more than twice the legal limit.
August was arraigned Wednesday on a 13-count indictment that includes two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, first- and second-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter, and multiple assault and DWI charges. He pleaded not guilty and remains in jail on $500,000 cash bail, $1.25 million bond, or $2 million partially secured bond.
Location & Road Context
The fatal collision occurred on Sunrise Highway at Unqua Road in Massapequa, where August allegedly turned sharply across multiple lanes of traffic before striking Singleton’s three-wheeled Polaris Slingshot. Sunrise Highway is a major east-west arterial road that runs through Nassau and Suffolk counties, carrying heavy traffic volumes through densely populated Long Island communities.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Kitchen was arraigned Wednesday on charges of first-degree and second-degree reckless endangerment for allegedly providing alcohol to his son before the fatal crash. He pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance.
If convicted, August faces up to 8⅓ to 25 years in prison, while Kitchen faces up to 2⅓ to 7 years. Both men are due back in court December 2.
Broader Impact
The case represents one of the more severe DWI prosecutions in Nassau County, with August facing aggravated vehicular homicide charges that carry substantial prison sentences — reflecting New York’s enhanced penalties for drunk driving fatalities involving extremely high blood alcohol levels.