The teen driver who allegedly ran down a toddler and her grandmother was held without bail this evening after his arraignment this evening as shocking new details emerged about the incident.
Franklin Reyes, 17, was driving an estimated 50 to 60 mph up Amsterdam Avenue before he tried to take a left-hand turn onto 97th Street, prosecutors said.
The teen then slammed head-on into Ariel Russo, 4, before backing up and running over her 58-year-old grandmother, according to assistant district attorney Scott Leet.
And he would have kept going, had cops not blocked him in, according to a complaint filed in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Russo’s grandmother — who was walking her to preschool — broke both her legs and her back, Leet said.
Reyes stood stone-faced and expressionless before judge Erika Edwards wearing a white t-shirt and khakis.
“He didn’t try to hide anything. He has suffered like a child should not have to suffer,” said his lawyer, Martin Schmukler. “He will forever live with the scar of what happened, knowing that he has no one to blame but himself.”
But the lawyer also said the accident wouldn’t have happened if cops weren’t pursuing him.
“He doesn’t blame the police officers for chasing him — even though they didn’t have to chase him,” said added. “Needless to say, it wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t been there.”
He said outside court that his client has not cried.
“He hasn’t broken down or shown any emotional weakness or frailty,” he said.
Reyes’ parents declined to comment.