Dakota Valkyrie
December 21st, 2008, 12:56 PM
A Queens man once hailed as a subway hero was arrested for driving while impaired and drug possession after his girlfriend leaped to her death from his moving car.
It was a sad fall from grace for Sandy Levine, 46, who was showered with accolades in 1994 after he risked his life to rescue a groggy straphanger who fell onto the tracks.
Cops said he was boozed up Friday night while driving at about 50 mph with girlfriend Judy Buccheri.
The couple argued over where they should go out. Then, for reasons that are unclear, Buccheri, 41, hurled herself out of the vehicle and hit the ground. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
"She either jumped or fell out," said a police source. "She was not pushed."
Levine stayed put and was not charged in Buccheri's death. But he was arrested for driving while impaired and possession of marijuana after cops allegedly found a pound of pot in the car.
According to the criminal complaint, Levine had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and was unsteady on his feet when cops showed up. His blood-alcohol level was 0.058, well below the state DWI threshold of 0.08.
Fourteen years ago, Levine was in a far different position after his selfless act of courage in a Manhattan subway station.
After Anibal Ruiz fell onto the tracks, Levine jumped down and yanked him into a crawl space as an oncoming train whizzed by.
He was later awarded a Carnegie Medal and got to meet his idol, Jerry Garcia, because he was on his way home from a Grateful Dead concert when it happened.
The two had been dating for about a year, and their relationship was sometimes tumultuous.
"They would always break up and get back together," said Levine's 17-year-old daughter Danielle.
Buccheri's loved ones remembered her as a doting mom who was involved in her kids' doings. Her children range in age from 8 to 21.
Thomas Buccheri, the late woman's father-in-law, said he didn't understand what had happened. Other relatives said Judy wanted to break things off with Levine and feared for her life.
"How do you fall out of a moving car?" he asked. "If there was an argument, maybe she was trying to get away from the argument."http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/12/20/2008-12-20_woman_dies_after_leaping_from_car_with_d.html
What the hell is going on around here recently?? Too many passengers having trouble staying in the car.
I'm only going to be the driver until this clears up
It was a sad fall from grace for Sandy Levine, 46, who was showered with accolades in 1994 after he risked his life to rescue a groggy straphanger who fell onto the tracks.
Cops said he was boozed up Friday night while driving at about 50 mph with girlfriend Judy Buccheri.
The couple argued over where they should go out. Then, for reasons that are unclear, Buccheri, 41, hurled herself out of the vehicle and hit the ground. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
"She either jumped or fell out," said a police source. "She was not pushed."
Levine stayed put and was not charged in Buccheri's death. But he was arrested for driving while impaired and possession of marijuana after cops allegedly found a pound of pot in the car.
According to the criminal complaint, Levine had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and was unsteady on his feet when cops showed up. His blood-alcohol level was 0.058, well below the state DWI threshold of 0.08.
Fourteen years ago, Levine was in a far different position after his selfless act of courage in a Manhattan subway station.
After Anibal Ruiz fell onto the tracks, Levine jumped down and yanked him into a crawl space as an oncoming train whizzed by.
He was later awarded a Carnegie Medal and got to meet his idol, Jerry Garcia, because he was on his way home from a Grateful Dead concert when it happened.
The two had been dating for about a year, and their relationship was sometimes tumultuous.
"They would always break up and get back together," said Levine's 17-year-old daughter Danielle.
Buccheri's loved ones remembered her as a doting mom who was involved in her kids' doings. Her children range in age from 8 to 21.
Thomas Buccheri, the late woman's father-in-law, said he didn't understand what had happened. Other relatives said Judy wanted to break things off with Levine and feared for her life.
"How do you fall out of a moving car?" he asked. "If there was an argument, maybe she was trying to get away from the argument."http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/12/20/2008-12-20_woman_dies_after_leaping_from_car_with_d.html
What the hell is going on around here recently?? Too many passengers having trouble staying in the car.
I'm only going to be the driver until this clears up