The alleged drunk driver who police say killed a young Long Island woman two days after her high school graduation when he rear-ended her vehicle and caused it to flip over appeared in court Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
Prosecutors said 31-year-old Michael Grasing's blood alcohol level was .30, nearly four times the legal limit, when he crashed into 18-year-old Brittney Walsh's car.
Walsh was driving home from work Sunday night around 10:20 p.m. on Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst when her car was struck by Grasing's 2004 Nissan.
The impact caused Walsh's car to flip multiple times and she ended up against a utility pole.
Grasing was first seen driving aggressively out of a Wendy's parking lot before heading westbound on Montauk Highway, according to Suffolk County's district attorney. For a two-mile stretch, Grasing was seen on surveillance video driving as fast as 100 miles per hour, passing through two red lights before striking the back of Walsh's car.
"One eyewitness is at a light and overhears another operator of a motor vehicle actually yelling to the defendant to stop driving, pull over, or he's going to kill somebody," said DA Thomas Spota.
Grasing was arraigned at First District Court. Bail was set at $100,000 cash, $200,000 bond.
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"That bail was ridiculous," said defense attorney Bill Keahon. "He's charged with two misdemeanors... Everything else that was said is not documented in any fashion before this court."
He's next expected in court July 3.
Meanwhile, Walsh's parents are preparing for her funeral instead of signing off on her college financial aid forms as they had planned.
"This you can't say sorry for," said Tom Walsh. "You can't fix this. It's not going to go away. I wish she could just come back home."
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