What to Know
- Police on Long Island say a man in a van chased two teens riding his brother's stolen bike
- The van and the bike crashed and the two teens were killed; the man was arrested
- Police say there's no evidence of a hate crime, but there's outrage that the man, who is white, didn't help the black teens after the crash
A 27-year-old Long Island man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he recklessly caused a crash in June that killed two people riding his brother's suspected stolen dirt bike.
Christopher Bouchard, of Mastic, entered the plea during his arraignment Monday on upgraded charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and reckless driving.
Prosecutors say Bouchard's brother reported his dirt bike stolen. Several hours later, the brothers reportedly learned that someone was riding the bike in nearby North Bellport.
Police say he and his brother pursued the bike in the minivan before the two vehicles collided in North Bellport.
The operator of the dirt bike, 19-year-old Keenen King, of Shirley, and passenger, 20-year-old Anthony Holmes-Garriques, of North Bellport, were killed.
Bouchard's attorney said his client "never intended to hurt anybody."
