MINEOLA, N.Y. — Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced the guilty plea of Patrick Destine, a Queens resident, for the murder of another driver after a collision in Baldwin in April 2023. The announcement was made following Destine’s court appearance before Judge Howard Sturim on Tuesday.
Destine, 27, admitted to Second Degree Murder, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree, and two counts of Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol. His sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2024, where he faces 18 years to life in prison.
The incident occurred late at night on April 15, 2023, when David McKenzie, 54, driving a 2003 Honda, collided with Destine’s 2004 Infiniti near Shuman Place and Forest Avenue in Baldwin. Following the collision, Destine violently assaulted McKenzie, who was attempting to walk away from the scene. Destine kicked and stomped on McKenzie’s head, leading to fatal injuries. McKenzie’s credit card and driver’s license were also stolen during the assault.
McKenzie was found by police bleeding on the ground and was transported to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight on April 16, 2023. Destine and his co-defendant, Aisha Pitt, were apprehended while attempting to leave the scene.