If convicted, Martin could spend 25 years to life in prison.
By The American Bazaar Staff
NEW YORK: Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. has announced new charges against Shaun Martin, the 33 year-old man who’s been accused of crashing a car into a grocery store while under the influence of drugs and killing Mohammed Akkas Ali.
Ali was in the East Village Farm and Grocery Store, located on East 4th Street and Second Avenue in New York City, on June 19 of last year, when Martin’s car careened off the road and struck him. Ali later succumbed to his wounds, while Martin was arrested and held on various charges. Now, those charges have been upgraded and formally filed with the New York State Supreme Court.
The charges against Martin are: Murder in the Second Degree, Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Assault in the First Degree, Aggravated Vehicular Assault, Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, Driving While Ability Impaired By Drugs, Driving While Ability Impaired By Combination of Drugs and Alcohol, Assault in the Third Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree.
If convicted on these charges, Martin could spend at least 25 years behind bars, and possibly even the rest of his life.
“The death of Mohammed Akkas Ali is a tragedy that could have been averted,” said Vance, in a statement. “Intoxicated driving, whether by drugs or alcohol, is completely at odds with the prospect of making New York streets safe for pedestrians and drivers alike. My Office will continue to aggressively prosecute vehicular violence whenever supported by the evidence.”
According to the District Attorney’s office, Martin allegedly cut across three lanes of traffic and drove onto the sidewalk just before 7:00 AM on the morning of June 19. He struck multiple objects including a fire hydrant, a pay phone, a muni-meter, and a tree, before crashing into a flower stand attached to the East Village Farm and Grocery Store.
Although Ali was the sole casualty stemming from the accident, three employees of the store were injured as well. Ali was a florist working at the store at the time of his passing.
Martin was allegedly high on PCP when the incident occurred, a synthetic hallucinogenic drug that gained popularity in the 1950s as a truth serum. It is illegal in the US, and possession alone can often guarantee stiff fines and possible jail time. The drug is typically smoked or inhaled, but can also be injected or ingested.