A 21-year-old NYU student with dreams of becoming a doctor had his life cut short, after police said that he was struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver in the East Village.
The deadly incident occurred early Monday morning, as Raife Milligan was crossing East Houston and 1st Avenue when he was plowed into by a drunk driver, according to police. Milligan was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he died.
Police said that the alleged drunk driver is Michael de Guzman, of Queens. The 49-year-old was arrested and charged.
Milligan was a junior and biology major at NYU, and originally from Indiana. His high school swim team posted a tribute for him, saying "our hearts are broken. Thinking of all the great times." A spokesperson for the university said "we grieve with his parents, family, and loved ones."
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Traffic safety advocates are calling for the state to allow NYC to lower speed limits again and to keep the city's speeding cameras rolling 24/7.
"Six New Yorkers killed by cars in three days is a real emergency and crisis," said Cory Epstein, of the Transportation Alternatives group. "We need to find the streets that are most deadly and we need the Adams administration to make urgent investments."
