WHITE PLAINS (WABC) --
A firefighter charged in a wrong-way crash that left one dead and
another seriously injured in Westchester County pleaded guilty Friday.Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that 35-year-old Erik Refvik, of White Plains, pleaded guilty to the entire 16-count indictment that included aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, vehicular assault, aggravated driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving and various vehicle and traffic law infractions.
Reyda La Madrid was killed in the crash, and Edgar Lopez suffered serious physical injuries.
"After spending the previous 12 hours drinking at numerous bars, this defendant operated his car in such an intoxicated and impaired condition that he drove down a major thoroughfare in the wrong direction for more than a third of a mile before colliding head-on into the victim's vehicle and ending up crashing into the lobby of an office building," DiFiore said. "Today, as a result of his actions that night, this defendant has pled guilty to the most serious DWI charge in New York State and will face substantial time in state prison."
On November 3, 2014, at approximately 4:30 a.m., Refvik drove his 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe at approximately 65 miles per hour and collided with a 2000 Honda Civic that was waiting at a traffic light. The force of the head-on collision pushed the Honda nearly half a football field down South Lexington Avenue, killing the passenger and seriously injuring the driver.
At the time of the collision, experts put Refvik's blood alcohol content at .21, more than 2.5 times the legal limit. In addition, he had a cocktail of exacerbating substances in his system which consisted of cocaine, clonazepam and bath salts.
He was arrested at the Westchester Medical Center that same day by the White Plains police.
Subsequent to his guilty plea, he was remanded until sentencing, which is scheduled for September 25. He faces 5 to 15 years in prison.