Drunk Driver Sentenced in Grand Central Death

A Jamaica man was sentenced Tuesday in the drunk driving death of a Grand Central Parkway maintenance worker in July, according to the Queens District Attorney.

Abdullah Munshi, 26, was sentenced to seven years in prison for losing control of his car on the Queens highway after spending three hours drinking with friends.

Frank Avino, 56, pictured at right, was doing nighttime construction work on the Parkway when he was struck by Munshi's Audi. 

Investigators determined that Munshi had likely been doing at least eight miles over the speed limit in the area at the time of the accident.

“The sentence imposed today — which is the maximum allowed under the law — is more than justified," said District Attorney Richard Brown. "The defendant’s decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol and to speed through a construction site tragically caused the death of an innocent man who was simply doing his job.”

Dawn-Marie Avino Waits, Frank's daughter, said in an e-mail that she also felt the stiff sentence was justified.

"No amount of punishment will bring my father back," Avino Waits said. "I feel if stronger penalties were in place it would send a message that drunk driving is not to be tolerated, and if that message makes a difference, then perhaps another family can be spared the pain and loss my family feels now."

Police at the scene of the incident said they could smell alcohol on Munshi's breath at the time and observed him with bloddshot eyes. 

He pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular manslaughter in January.