A Department of Corrections officer drunkenly slammed his car into six other vehicles, causing multiple injuries, and fled the scene only to be quickly caught by cops in Inwood early Friday morning, police said.
Brandon Dauo, 28, was hit with a slew of charges, including reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of a crash with injury, and driving while intoxicated stemming from the 1:30 a.m. crash. on Sherman Avenue.
According to police, Dauo was driving eastbound on Sherman when he struck five parked cars near W. 207th Street, the corner housing the popular late night club, Casa del Mofongo — a possible explanation for why so many of the victims were sitting in parked cars when Dauo allegedly crashed. Police could not immediately elaborate on the victims’ injuries or even how many were injured.
Dauo fled and plowed head on into another car on Sherman Avenue, police added.
Cops declined to provide information about how Dauo was eventually caught, but did say he refused to take a breathalyzer test.
Dauo was most recently assigned to work on Rikers Island and has been a member of the so-called New York's Boldest since 2016, but the department suspended him without pay following his arrest, according to a spokeswoman.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office could not provide any more information because Dauo has not yet been arraigned.
There have been 102 crashes on a small stretch of Sherman Avenue between Academy Street and Isham Street since March 2017, with 28 of them injury-causing. In all, 14 pedestrians, four cyclists, and 20 motorists have been hurt. And in January 2017, a driver hit and killed 68-year-old Jose Melogarib while he was crossing Sherman Avenue at Academy Street.
