Bail Reform Comes Under Fire After Suspect in Fatal DUI Released

A man from Long Island blames the bail reforms in New York for a driver who allegedly killed his brother in a DUI accident being released without bail. His outrage has resulted in the controversial new laws once again coming under fire from people throughout the state.

40-year-old Jordan Randolph was arrested at approximately 4 a.m. on a January Sunday morning after he rear-ended a 2015 Ford with his 2014 Cadillac. The impact resulted in the death of the 27-year-old driver Jonathan Flores-Maldonado. Randolph tried to flee the scene, but was ultimately arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was released on Monday morning.

Bail reform sees more criticism

The brother of the victim, Mateo Mangusto Maldonado, said, “This drunk driver Jordan Randolph killed my brother and is already free a day later because of this new bail reform.”

The new bail reform to which Maldonado refers was a law that took effect on January 1. Under the reforms, courts are prevented from setting bail for most nonviolent felonies and misdemeanors, including some felony DWIs. However, Randolph had a dozen prior convictions, including three DWI, two of which were felonies. He was most recently arrested on January 1 in Suffolk for harassment, tampering with an ignition interlock device and aggravated unlicensed operation.

Critics say the new bail reform laws are too lenient in some cases, particularly on people who have long arrest records.  However, proponents say bail reform avoids prison overpopulation and unnecessary burdens on the legal system.

If you’re interested in learning more about how criminal and civil cases can intersect after auto accidents, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.