PHOTO: ‘Drunk Driving’ Fiancé, 30, Appears in Court Again
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The drunk driving fiancé, 30, reappears in court after crying in front of the judge when he found out he had killed his pregnant girlfriend, 23, and their unborn child by crashing his Dodge Challenger into a pole
- Adem Nikeziq, 30, is charged with involuntary manslaughter following the death of Adriana Sylmetaj, 23
- On Thursday the alleged drunk driver was able to stand up on his own in court
- He appeared in a Staten Island court earlier this week in a wheelchair.
A suspected drunk driver, whose pregnant fiancee died after he crashed her car into a pole while speeding at 100 mph on Staten Island, has again appeared in court.
Adem Nikeziq, 30, collapsed in court when told that Adriana Sylmetaj, 23, was dead after she crashed a Dodge Challenger on Sunday morning. The vehicle broke into three pieces and the woman, along with the unborn child, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Nikeziq, who is charged with manslaughter, drink driving, criminally negligent homicide and vehicular assault, appeared in court today with his head bowed.
At his earlier hearing, Nikeziq was wheelchair bound, presumably due to his own injuries following the accident. But on Thursday he was able to stand up on his own.
It is understood that he was requesting medical attention during the hearing on Thursday.
Adem Nikeziq (center) appeared in court today after vandalizing the car on Staten Island. His fiancée and his unborn child died in the accident.
Nikeziq, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter, drink driving, criminally negligent homicide and vehicular assault, appeared with his head bowed in court on Thursday.
The alleged drunk driver appeared emotional in Staten Island court this morning
Prosecutors previously explained how Sylmetaj’s body was found at the scene when police arrived. They found her at the intersection, her leg about 20 feet from her body.
Her unborn child was torn from her body and was found 20 feet beyond her leg. She was about six months pregnant and expecting a daughter in April.
Nikeziq claimed that a car had intercepted it when it hit a utility pole around 5am on Sunday morning, causing the vehicle to break into three pieces.
His lawyer, Mark Fonte, said he was the person who told Nikeziq that his fiancée and their unborn child had died, as he did not yet know.
Adriana Sylmetaj and her unborn baby were killed at 4:45 a.m. Sunday morning after her fiancé crashed into a pole. Adem Nikeziq, 30, wept in court after finding out his fiancée had died in the crash.
Adriana Sylmetaj was expecting her daughter in April
He said: ‘No one told him that his fiancée and her baby had passed away.
‘When I told him, he began to cry, to sob. At first he was in complete disbelief.
Nikeziq has a rough driving record, including a 2017 arrest for drunk driving and driving on a suspended license, police sources told the Daily News. In 2019 he was also arrested for driving on a suspended license and resisting arrest.
The Albanian couple was traveling south on Hylan Boulevard in New Dorp at 4:44 a.m. when Nikesiq allegedly lost control.
The vehicle struck a barrier wall before spinning and crashing into a wooden utility pole, police said.
Footage from the scene shows the horrific extent of the collision, as the car appeared to be completely wrecked and thrown onto the road.
Nikeziq, a county resident, was taken to Staten Island University Hospital North after police noticed he was drunk, the spokesman said.
Adriana Sylmetaj was ejected from the car when it collided with a utility pole around 5am Sunday morning, causing the vehicle to break into three pieces.
Pictures of the wrecked car emerged after the pregnant woman was killed. Prosecutors explained in court how Sylmetaj’s body was found at the scene when police arrived.
The scene after the fatal crash, the comparison occurred when the couple was traveling at over 100 mph.
A tire removed from the vehicle is seen after
The severity of the impact caused Sylmetaj to be thrown from the car. She was pronounced dead at the scene.