A 21-year-old Bronx man is now facing aggravated vehicular homicide and a slate of related charges after a multi-vehicle crash on the Bronx River Parkway that killed two moped riders last year. Prosecutors say Mauricio Neyra was behind the wheel in the collision that took the lives of 21-year-old Enrique Martinez and 19-year-old Manuel Amarante Peñalo. Neyra is scheduled to return to Bronx Criminal Court on July 22, 2026, as the District Attorney pursues upgraded counts.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced the indictment on Friday and said investigators uncovered evidence of intoxication and extreme speed, according to PIX11. "This was an egregious case of recklessness and negligence, leading to the deaths of two young men," Clark said, according to the outlet. Charging documents list aggravated vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter among the counts prosecutors have brought.
The crash unfolded in the early morning hours of August 11, 2025, on the southbound Bronx River Parkway near East 223rd Street, when a Mercedes attempting to pass a Volkswagen clipped that car and then plowed into two mopeds riding side by side, amNY reported. Emergency crews rushed Enrique Martinez to Jacobi Medical Center and Manuel Amarante Peñalo to Montefiore Medical Center, but both men later died. NYPD investigators arrested Neyra at the scene and launched a months-long probe into how the chain-reaction collision unfolded.
A vehicle-recording device showed the Mercedes was traveling about 100 miles per hour in a posted 50-mph zone, and testing recorded a blood-alcohol content of 0.08% for the driver, PIX11 reported. Prosecutors cite those findings in the court papers backing the upgraded indictment.
Charges And Legal Exposure
Prosecutors have charged Neyra with aggravated vehicular homicide along with multiple manslaughter counts. Aggravated vehicular homicide is defined under New York Penal Law §125.14 and is classified as a class B felony, legal references show. A conviction on that top count can carry a substantial state-prison term, and sentencing can run into decades depending on the conviction and prior record, while vehicular manslaughter and related DWI charges bring additional potential penalties. For the statute text and legal definitions, see NY Penal Law §125.14.
Families And Fallout
In the days after the deadly crash, relatives of the victims spoke out in grief and anger, and family members launched fundraisers to cover funeral expenses, according to reporting and interviews at the time. Witnesses told reporters they were shattered by the loss of two friends and said the deaths felt tragically avoidable, New York Daily News coverage noted. In the months since, community advocates and relatives have pushed for tougher enforcement on high-speed driving on city parkways and for accountability in fatal DWI cases.
The NYPD Highway District's Collision Investigation Squad continues to examine the scene evidence and reconstruct the moments before impact, amNY reported. Neyra is due back in Bronx Criminal Court on July 22, 2026, and the case remains active as prosecutors and defense attorneys prepare for pretrial proceedings.
