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Driver In Taconic Crash That Killed Four Was Steering With Knees

The driver responsible for a crash on the Taconic Parkway in Yorktown in August 2015 that killed four people, including his daughter, was arraigned in court Friday after prosecutors said he was driving with his knees before the crash occurred. 

Nerim Sinanovic

Nerim Sinanovic

Photo Credit: New York State Police
The Taconic State Parkway after an accident occurred that killed four people. The driver that caused the accident was arraigned in court Friday.

The Taconic State Parkway after an accident occurred that killed four people. The driver that caused the accident was arraigned in court Friday.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman

Nerim Sinanovic, a 34-year-old resident of the Bronx, was charged with four counts of criminally negligent homicide (a Class E felony), one count of reckless driving, a misdemeanor and a charge of speeding. He pleaded not guilty.

Sinanovic told New York State Police that while driving northbound on the Taconic State Parkway in his BMW SUV, he took his hands off the steering wheel, turned toward the back seat and steered with his knees.

This caused the vehicle to veer to the right. His wife then grabbed the wheel and the vehicle veered left and continued up and over the dividing center median between the north and southbound lanes, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

The vehicle became airborne and crashed into a Toyota Camry which was traveling in the southbound lane. There were three family members in that vehicle at the time of the crash. Two sustained massive internal injuries and were pronounced dead within hours. The third person a month later, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

Sinanovic's children, a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old, were both in child seats and were ejected from the vehicle. The 2-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

Two additional vehicles, a Ford Escape and an Acura RSX were also struck. Those occupants sustained non-life threatening injuries, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

A toxicology report indicated Sinanovic had a high level of Xanax in his system at the time of the crash, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

Sinanovic's bail was set at $10,000. He is due back in court on Sept. 27. He faces a maximum of two to four years in state prison.

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