Man pleads guilty in crash that killed off-duty NYPD cop
A Queens man pleaded guilty Monday to a manslaughter charge in connection with a 2020 crash that killed an off-duty NYPD officer.
Kassun Brown, 32, of Springfield Gardens, faces six to 12 years in prison at his sentencing in January for the Jan. 17, 2020 crash that killed Officer Michael Ellis, 34, of St. Albans, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a news release.
Brown was driving a 2006 Nissan Maxima about 11:58 p.m. when he ran a stop sign at Nashville Boulevard and Lucas Street in St. Albans and crashed into a Nissan Altima driven by Ellis, sending the sedan spinning clockwise before it hit two parked vehicles, the release said.
Ellis, who was based out of the 63rd Precinct in Brooklyn, suffered a traumatic brain injury a broken neck and multiple facial fractures. He died more than a month later on his 35th birthday, according to the release.
The Maxima Brown was driving crashed into a telephone pole. He dislocated his ankle and his passenger broke their leg. Brown's blood alcohol content at the time of the crash was .09, just above the state legal limit of .08, the release said.
“The defendant’s recklessness prematurely took the life of a young NYPD officer. We welcome the guilty plea and hope it will provide some solace to Officer Ellis’ loved ones,” Katz said in the release.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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