Story by Ethan
On January 3rd, 2025, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, announced the indictment of Junior Deslances. Junior Deslances was charged with three counts of Aggravated Vehicular Assault, three counts of Vehicular Assault in the first degree, Vehicular Assault in the second degree, three counts of Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, two counts of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of Alcohol, Operating a Motor Vehicle While Impaired by Combined Use of Drugs or of Alcohol and Drugs, Operating a Motor Vehicle While Impaired by Use of Drugs, Reckless Driving, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the third degree, and Operating a Motor Vehicle Without a Passenger Properly Restrained with Seatbelt or Safety Seat.
Allegedly, Junior Deslances was under the influence while driving. As Junior Deslances was speeding, he crossed a double yellow line illegally. Junior Deslances then rammed his car into a school bus head on, while taking his children to school. All three children were injured, two of them in serious condition. Junior Deslances was speeding behind another vehicle and swerved into another lane to avoid the car ahead of him that started to break abruptly. As Junior Deslances swerved across the double yellow line, he collided head on with a school bus in the other lane. Moments before the collision, the two older children, ages 15 and 11, unbuckled their seatbelts and used them to strap in the youngest child, age 5, who was previously not buckled.
The oldest child was transported to the hospital with several fractures to his face. The middle child also suffered from spinal-cord fractures, and a deep cut on his face. The youngest child was treated for a cut on his head. The bus driver was also treated for reported nausea and head pains.
After police testing was done on Junior Deslances, it was revealed that his blood alcohol content (BAC) was .17, above the DWI threshold of .08. In addition to his high BAC levels, Junior Deslances also tested positive for THC which is the active ingredient in marijuana. Furthermore, Junior Deslances was also driving with a suspended license. A police search of the defendant’s vehicle recovered marijuana cigarettes as well as an open beer bottle.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office states that the charges against Junior Deslances are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
