Driver charged in crash that killed judge
BOCA RATON, Fla. — A Florida driver fatally struck a federal judge visiting from New York and seriously injured a 6-year-old boy after swerving her car onto a sidewalk, officials said.
Nastasia Snape, 23, is charged with vehicular homicide and other felonies in Friday’s crash that killed District Judge Sandra Feuerstein, 75, who served in the Eastern District of New York since 2003. The boy, Anthony Ovchinnikov, was taken to the hospital, but his condition Sunday could not be determined.
According to court records, witnesses told Boca Raton police that Snape was driving erratically, going around stopped traffic, on a busy road when she drove onto the sidewalk and struck Feuerstein. Snape then drove back onto the roadway, striking the boy in a crosswalk, police said.
Police reports said Snape then fled into neighboring Delray Beach, where she crashed. A Delray police officer said Snape appeared to be having convulsions but was able to get out of the car. Police said that in the ambulance, Snape began screaming and fighting with medics while yelling she is Harry Potter. The medics drugged her.
Police said they found in her purse the synthetic drug commonly known as bath salts, which can cause psychotic episodes.
Feuerstein was appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush after 16 years as a New York state judge, according to the Eastern District website. The court’s jurisdiction covers Long Island, including Brooklyn and Queens, along with Staten Island.