Oyster Bay man sentenced for 2014 fatal DWI hit-and-run and arson

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Madi Grant, 36, from Oyster Bay, was sentenced to 14 to 30 years in prison for a December 2014 crash on the Southern State Parkway that killed 59-year-old Sherman Richardson, from Hempstead. Madi fled the scene and and burned the car.

Grant was drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana at a strip club before the crash.

He was found guilty by a jury on March 3 before Supreme Court Justice Robert McDonald of: manslaughter in the second degree (a C felony), arson in the third Degree (a C felony), vehicular manslaughter in the second degree (a D felony), leaving the scene of an incident without reporting (a D felony), driving while in an intoxicated condition (an unclassified

misdemeanor), driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of alcohol

and drugs (an unclassified misdemeanor), aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle (an unclassified misdemeanor) and conspiracy in the fourth degree (an E felony).

According to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas and state police, on December 5, 2014, then-33-year-old Grant spent several hours in a strip club in Queens where he drank alcohol and smoked marijuana, becoming intoxicated and high before leaving at approximately 5:30 a.m. Grant drove away from the club in a borrowed 2014 Chevrolet Captiva rental car.

At approximately 6:30 a.m. Grant accelerated the car across all three lanes of traffic from the left to the right lane and slammed into the rear of the car driven by 59-year-old ironworker Sherman Richardson of Hempstead, who was on his way to work. Richardson was a Journeyman and member of Metallic Lathersand Reinforcing Ironworkers, Local Union #46. Grant was travelling 84 mph at the time of the crash. The force of the defendant's speed and the impact caused Richardson's car to veer off of the Parkway, where it slammed into a tree on the side of the road and Richardson was killed immediately.

Grant sped away from the crash scene and took Exit 32 off the Parkway, with a Good Samaritan following behind him, flashing his headlights and honking his horn. Another Good Samaritan who was traveling eastbound on the Parkway stopped to render aid to Richardson. As Grant fled the scene, he recklessly traveled through several red lights and stop signs, while making a series of rapid turns through the side streets of Amityville. The Good Samaritan in pursuit soon lost Grant, but notified 911 with a description of the defendant's car and returned to the scene

of the crash.

Later that day, Grant hired someone to light the Captiva on fire in order to destroy evidence. At approximately 4 p.m. the car was found fully engulfed in flames in a residential neighborhood, in front of the house where Grant's children live.

"Sherman Richardson should still be alive with his wife, Jawana, and their family, friends and co-workers but for the egregious, criminal acts of this selfish, reckless defendant that shock the conscience," said Singas. "This case was solved and successfully prosecuted because of the tenacious work of the New York State Police and my Assistant Da’s. But, all across this state, many victims of crashes like this one do not receive justice. I am proud to stand with Jawana Richardson and the many other victims of vehicular crimes and call again for desperately needed reforms to vehicular crimes statutes. Penalties for hit and runs, and suspended license drivers who kill, must be raised."

Senior Assistant District Attorneys Stefanie Palma and Diana Hedayati of Singas' Vehicular Crimes Bureau prosecuted the case. Grant is represented by Donald Rollock, Esq.