The question isn’t why Franklin Reyes Jr. dragged a cop 100 feet after he’d pulled Reyes over for an illegal turn Sunday. That’s how we’d expect Reyes to respond. The question is why he was free on bail in the first place.
New Yorkers were introduced to Reyes a year ago, after the unlicensed youth took the family SUV out for a spin. That time, too, he was pulled over by cops. That time, too his response was to step on the gas.
And when he crashed the car shortly after, he took the life of 4-year-old Ariel Russo and seriously injured her grandmother.
Oh, yes, and in between these two incidents, Reyes managed this past June to get himself arrested — along with his dad — for looting the apartment of a woman who had recently died. Though his bail was doubled, he still got out.
Plainly, this is a young man who doesn’t understand the breaks he’s been given and seems bent on proving he has zero remorse for having taken the life of an innocent child.
By speeding off with NYPD Officer Edward O’Connell clinging on, Reyes demonstrated his contempt for the law — and put O’Connell’s life at risk.
Now his bail has been revoked. That’s long overdue, but still welcome.
Our legal system understands that young people sometimes make mistakes that end in unintended tragedy. But Reyes’ actions show his are more than mistakes in judgment.
This is a young man who is facing trial for manslaughter yet still drives without a license — and refuses to heed the lawful instructions of a police officer.
We leave it to a jury to sort out Reyes’ guilt for all the crimes he’s charged with, which include manslaughter, theft, assault, reckless endangerment, unlicensed driving and fleeing a police officer.
Until then, let’s hope the judge ensures Reyes remains behind bars. For this dangerous young man has shown that extending him mercy might well prove deadly to other New Yorkers.