A New York City Police Department officer was hit and killed by a suspected drunk driver while investigating a fatal crash on the Long Island Expressway early Tuesday, police said.
Officer Anastasios Tsakos was directing traffic following a deadly crash in Queens when a 2013 Volkswagen hit him at around 2 a.m., said NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea during a press conference.
Tsakos, a 43-year-old, 14-year department veteran, was an “extremely, highly regarded” member of the NYPD, Shea said. He was taken to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital in critical condition, where he later died due to his injuries.
The sedan’s driver was identified as Jessica Beauvais, 32, of Hempstead. She was taken into custody on charges of vehicular manslaughter, driving with a suspended license, and intoxicated driving after she fled the scene in her car.
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It was not immediately clear how the suspected driver was apprehended. The damage to the vehicle was substantial, Shea said, adding, “There was no way to not know that you struck an individual.”
The Detectives’ Endowment Association, a union serving 20,000 active and retired New York City detectives, released a statement on Twitter honoring Tsakos following his death.
The DEA membership stands shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow cops in the @NYCPBA as we all mourn the tragic line-of-duty death of Officer Anastasios Tsakos, who was killed by a drunk driver this morning in Queens. Our solemn vow is to #NeverForget. pic.twitter.com/0Nao4RBkp2
— Detectives’ Endowment Association (@NYCPDDEA) April 27, 2021
“The DEA membership stands shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow cops in the @NYCPBA as we all mourn the tragic line-of-duty death,” the union wrote in a statement.
Tsakos is survived by his wife, Irene, and their 6-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son, Mayor Bill de Blasio said during the press conference.
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“He was out there trying to make sure everyone was safe, and he is dead because someone drove under the influence and recklessly,” de Blasio added.
