Deadly Upper West Side crash suspect due in court

  Eyewitness News

UPPER WEST SIDE (WABC) -- The teenager accused of fatally running down a 4-year-old girl on the Upper West Side of Manhattan is due in court Tuesday.

The parents of Ariel Russo are expected to be in court to witness the appearance of 17-year-old Franklin Reyes, who is facing second-degree manslaughter charges in the June incident.

Ariel Russo was killed when Reyes drove his SUV onto the sidewalk during a police chase. Her grandmother was also injured, but survived.

Sofia and Alan Russo have filed a lawsuit against Reyes, New York City, the NYPD and the 911 operator whom they blame for a 4-minute delay in sending an ambulance.

Reyes wept openly at his bail hearing in late June, during which the judge allowed him to be released.

"My daughter is dead and this guy is free," Alan Russo said. "He's home, he's going to play video games, he's going to eat his mom's home cooked food, I'm never going to have my daughter back."

Reyes had no driver's license at the time of the crash.

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