Trial begins for man charged in police officer Joseph Olivieri’s death

Joe Nikic

The trial of the alleged drunken driver charged in the 2012 death of Nassau County police officer Joseph Olivieri began Tuesday, as a Nassau County prosecutor delivered his opening statement blaming the man for causing a string of events leading to Olivieri’s death.

Nassau Assistant District Attorney Michael Bushwack said James Ryan, 28, of Oakdale, was a “dangerously drunk” driver who caused two crashes leading to the death of the then 43-year-old police officer, according to Newsday.

At 4:43 a.m. on Oct. 18, 2012, Ryan allegedly crashed into and disabled a car while driving drunk on the Long Island Expressway, then fled the scene toward the Shelter Rock Road exit.

He then hit another car, which injured the driver and caused Ryan’s car to stop against the center divider on the highway, prosecutors said.

Olivieri, a member of the Nassau County Highway Patrol Bureau, responded to the scene.

A separate car hit and killed him while he was caring for the injured drivers.

Ryan is facing up to 25 years in prison if convicted on aggravated vehicular homicide charges.

A grand jury indicted him in April 2013, but county Judge Jerald Carter dismissed the indictment that December.

The DA’s office appealed the case to state Appellate Division, which reinstated the charges in February.

Ryan’s attorney Zeena Abdi told jurors the defendant was not blame for Olivieri’s death, but instead the driver who hit him was, according to Newsday.

“Make no mistake, James Ryan did not hit Officer Olivieri,” Abdi said. “James Ryan did not kill Officer Olivieri. James Ryan did not cause his death.”

She also said “it is a stretch” to put the blame on Ryan rather than the driver who struck the officer, who received immunity after testifying before a grand jury.

Prosecutors had decided the driver’s actions were not criminal, Newsday reported.

The case is ongoing.

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