MERRICK, Long Island (WABC) — A Queens man is now facing serious charges in connection with a drug impaired driving crash that killed a longtime Nassau County police crossing guard.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors say 30-year-old Joshua Alvarado was highly impaired when he struck 70-year-old John Miro along Sunrise Highway in Merrick on February 26<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced that a grand jury has indicted Alvarado on manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, assault and multiple drug impaired driving counts.<\/p>\n He has pleaded not guilty and could face up to 7 to 15 years in prison if convicted.<\/p>\n “A beloved crossing guard is dead because this defendant allegedly drove while highly impaired by a powerful mixture of sedatives and illegal street drugs,” Donnelly said. “He allegedly struck down John Miro on the very sidewalk where he had helped children safely cross for years.”<\/p>\n According to prosecutors, the crash happened around 8 a.m. as Alvarado was driving a commercial pickup truck to a service call.<\/p>\n Investigators say he fell asleep at a red light at Merrick Avenue and Sunrise Highway.<\/p>\n When the light turned green, honking from other drivers woke him, and he drove diagonally through the intersection, jumped the curb and hit Miro, who was standing on the sidewalk.<\/p>\n Police say Miro had been clearing snow and helping children cross moments before he was struck.<\/p>\n He suffered severe injuries, including head trauma and multiple broken bones.<\/p>\n He was rushed to Nassau University Medical Center but died about a week later, on March 6.<\/p>\n A toxicology report showed Alvarado had Xanax and clonazepam in his system, along with an illegal synthetic drug known as “street Xanax,” according to prosecutors. He was arrested the day of the crash.<\/p>\n Alvarado is due back in court on May 5.<\/p>\n Miro had been working as a crossing guard since 2023, a second career after working as a tugboat operator.<\/p>\n ———-<\/p>\n * More Long Island news<\/a><\/p>\n * Send us a news tip<\/a><\/p>\n * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts<\/a> <\/p>\n * Follow us on YouTube<\/a> <\/p>\n
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