Police: New York Casino Turned Away Drunk Patron Who Later Killed a Cop by DUI
Posted on: February 4, 2026, 06:59h.
Last updated on: February 4, 2026, 06:59h.
- Law enforcement in New York believes a police officer was killed by a drunk driver
- The drunk driver allegedly tried to enter a Long Island casino an hour before the fatal crash
Law enforcement in New York’s Nassau County has charged a 20-year-old man with driving while intoxicated (DUI) after police say his truck ran a red light at the intersection of Alexander Avenue and Route 347, where it struck and killed a female passenger in a sedan.
The accident occurred early Saturday morning, Jan. 31, around 6 am. The Nassau County Police Department reports that the victim was one of its own, 42-year-old Police Officer Patricia Espinosa. A mother of an 18-month-old daughter, Espinosa’s husband, Francisco Malaga, is also a police officer.
This loss is a painful reminder of the devastating consequences impaired driving can have on families, colleagues, and entire communities,” a release from the Nassau County Police Department read. “We urge everyone to make responsible choices and never get behind the wheel under the influence.”
The Suffolk County Police Department is handling the ongoing investigation. Additional charges are likely should Smith’s blood test come back positive for alcohol above the legal threshold and/or narcotics.
Espinosa was off-duty at the time, on her way early Saturday morning to work, where she had served and protected the community since 2017. Espinosa’s Fifth Precinct includes Elmont, Franklin Square, West Hempstead, Valley Stream, North Valley Stream, Lakeview, South Floral Park, and Garden City South.
Casino Turned Impaired Man Away
Investigators believe the driver of the truck, Matthew Smith, and an unidentified passenger, attempted to enter the Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel in Islandia about an hour before the incident.
Smith and the other person briefly made entry into the hotel casino before security officials told them the business was closed. Smith and his cohort reportedly left the casino without incident after being turned away. Jake’s 58, a video lottery gaming facility with more than 1,000 terminals and electronic gaming positions.
The minimum age to gamble at a video lottery casino in New York is 18.
Jake’s 58 is open daily from 8 am until 4 am. Its restaurant and bar is open daily until midnight on weekdays and until 2 am on the weekend.
Fundraiser For Fallen Officer
A community in mourning, residents in Long Island are stepping up to help Espinosa’s family. A GoFundMe, organized by the Nassau County Police Hispanic Society, has raised $242,860, as of Feb. 4.
Calling her a “community favorite” among the police force, the GoFundMe fundraiser says Espinosa “lived the American dream.”
Immigrating from Ecuador at the age of 21, already holding a college degree, Espinosa learned the English language and became a New York State corrections officer. She later joined the Nassau County PD.
Espinosa and Malaga “built their family — a wedding, a house, and a beautiful daughter.”
“She was a co-worker, friend, sister-in-blue, daughter, sister, aunt, wife, and, newly, a mother. The force of her presence, with her smile, her laugh, and the little pet names she gave people she cared about, will never be replaced. Please find it in your heart to support her husband and young daughter during this time,” the GoFundMe page reads.
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