Report: Driver in DWI Crash Pleads Not Guilty, More Charges Coming

Michael Grasing, the Babylon man accused of driving drunk with a blood-alcohol content level of .3 and crashing into Lindenhurst teen Brittney Walsh, pleaded not guilty to charges of DWI at his arraignment on Wednesday afternoon.

Newsday reports Grasing pleaded not guilty to his only current charge - driving while intoxicated - at First District Court in Central Islip on Wednesday afternoon.

Judge Patricia Filiberto set the bail for Grasing at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond during the arraignment - an amount his lawyer disputed because the only charge so far was drunk driving.

Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said that Grasing had down Montauk Highway between 85 and 100 miles per hour with a BAC of .3, nearly four times the legal limit, on Sunday evening.

Grasing's driven by Walsh, flipping her car and killing her.

Assistant District Attorney Laura Newcomb told Newsday upgraded charges should be expected to be filed as soon as new evidence is found and presented.

Newsday also reported Grasing had previously been charged with DWI in Albany County, New York in 1999 and had pled guilty to charges of driving while impaired.

Newcomb told Newsday Grasing had been in and out of rehab and would disppear for days at a time. His lawyer, William Keahon, disputed that idea, noting Grasing had been working as a contractor for the past 10 years with his father.

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