New York Federal Judge Killed in Boca Raton Hit-and-Run Crash

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on April 11, 2021

A 23-year-old Florida woman is facing a litany of felonious charges this weekend after she was arrested by the Boca Raton Police Department for her alleged involvement in a fatal hit-and-run accident which claimed the life of a 75-year-old New York federal judge and seriously injured a 6-year-old boy this past Friday morning in Palm Beach County.

According to preliminary collision reports from the responding officers in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County, 75-year-old Sandra Feuerstein, a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York, was enjoying a leisurely stroll along a sidewalk near a typically busy roadway early Friday morning in Boca Raton. At this same time, 23-year-old Nastasia Snape was quickly approaching the vicinity while driving her vehicle in an increasingly erratic and dangerous manner; weaving in and out of traffic and completely disregarding any traffic signals or street signs.

Witness statements retrieved by the Boca Raton Police Department indicate that the 23-year-old was still driving recklessly as she entered the area where the 75-year-old judge was walking and, for reasons that are currently unknown, her vehicle then left the roadway and fatally struck Feuerstein on the sidewalk. As Snape proceeded to hastily leave the scene of the first pedestrian accident, she reversed her vehicle and backed over a 6-year-old boy who was attempting to cross the busy street shortly before the initial collision occurred.

Authorities indicate that Snape then fled to neighboring Delray Beach before she crashed her car and was apprehended by local authorities. One officer indicated that as Snape was being assessed by paramedics, she became unruly and started screaming that she was Harry Potter and that the EMTs had drugged her. A police search of her vehicle uncovered the dangerous street drug bath salts, which can frequently cause delusions and psychotic episodes if ingested. At the time of this writing, Snape remains in jail with a $60,000 bond. It should be noted that “Snape” is a character from the popular Harry Potter book series and it is unclear if that is her actual last name or simply just a coincidence.

“As we mourn her tragic death, we also remember Judge Feuerstein’s unwavering commitment to justice and service to the people of our district and our nation,” U.S. Attorney Mark Lesko said in a press release.

Anthony Ovchinnikov, the 6-year-old boy who was also injured in this tragic accident, was transported to a local hospital where he remained as of Sunday. His current condition is unknown.

Sources:

• Hit-and-run crash in Florida kills New York federal judge

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.