Manhattan prosecutors asked a judge Wednesday to revoke the bail of the unlicensed teen driver who fatally struck a four-year-old girl in his parents’ SUV on the UWS last year — after he was busted for allegedly stealing from a dead woman’s apartment.
“My first request is that defendant be remanded and bail be forfeited — he obviously didn’t abide by the terms,” said Assistant District Attorney Vera Varshavsky.
Reyes is currently out on $50,000 bond for killing little Ariel Russo and seriously injuring her grandmother while fleeing cops on a minor traffic stop June 4th 2013.
Prosecutors also asked Justice Gregory Carro to nix the teen’s youthful offender status. The designation grants Reyes a lesser sentence and means he wouldn’t have a criminal record.
“We had lengthy discussions on the record explaining even before that new arrest why he wasn’t deserving of youthful offender treatment,” she said as Reyes bowed his head to dodge photographers during the proceeding.
“The fact he was rearrested while out on bail with the offer of youthful offender status on the table is even more egregious.”
Defense attorney Martin Schmukler called the new charge against Reyes “absolutely fraudulent” and insisted nothing was taken by the teen or his father.
Carro described the prosecutor’s petit larceny case as “weak.” But he won’t rule on whether he’ll rescind youthful offender status or increase bail until August 6th when the District Attorney’s Office has conducted a more thorough investigation, he said.
For now the judge’s previous plea offer of 15 months to 4 years if he copped to the manslaughter and assault raps is off the table.
If Reyes is tried as an adult, he faces 5-to-15 years behind bars.
The troubled teen had bragged about speeding and driving without a license before the horrific collision, prosecutors said.
“I want him to pay,” said the slain girl’s father Alan Russo as his eyes welled with tears outside the courtroom. “This is a tough time. We’re miserable.”
Additional reporting by Matthew Abrahams and Ross Toback