A New York City woman who plowed her car into Black Lives Matter protesters managed to evade jail time by cutting a plea agreement with the prosecution.
According to the New York Post, Kathleen Casillo, 53, received five hours of community service under the deal with the Manhattan district attorney’s office. Casillo drove her BMW sedan, with her 29-year-old daughter inside, into a crowd in December 2020, injuring six people.
Video capturing the moment showed several protesters flying into the air.
Casillo pleaded guilty Monday in Manhattan Supreme Court to a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment, usually punishable by up to a year in prison. However, if she completes her term and avoids trouble for six months, the prosecution plans to reduce her charge to simple disorderly conduct.
“If she fails in fulfilling any of the conditions of this plea — that is, if she does not complete the community service or gets rearrested in the next year,” said Assistant District Attorney Andrew Mercer, “she will not be permitted to withdraw her plea” and would face possible jail time, the Post reported.
Prosecutors with District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said they consented to the new conditions because Casillo had no prior record, didn’t flee the scene, did not plot to harm those protesting and took responsibility for what happened.
The previous offers called for Casillo to get six days of community service and have her driver’s license suspended for a year if she pleaded guilty. She declined twice.
On Monday, she expressed regret as she exited the courtroom. “I’m sorry for everyone,” she said, the Post reported. “I really am.” She is due back in court on June 9.
Casillo told police she feared for her and her daughter’s safety when she acted that fateful day. A demonstrator outside the courtroom disputed Casillo’s assertions that she panicked and hit the gas because the crowd of protesters was “aggressive.”
“You f—ed people’s lives up,” the demonstrator screamed at Casillo, according to the Post. “You’re a criminal, and you have not taken responsibility.”
Still, Casillo’s defense attorney Oliver Storch claimed that justice was served, and that his client did not deserve to receive a criminal conviction.
“Ms. Castillo is a retired grandmother who looks forward to putting this horrible ordeal behind her and spending time with her family,” Storch said, the Post reported. “Her thoughts and prayers go out to anybody injured.”
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