Firefighter pleads guilty to deadly DUI charges

A White Plains firefighter accused of drinking and taking drugs in a deadly wrong-way crash pleaded guilty to all 16 charges at Westchester County Court Friday. Erik Refvik, of Mahopac, admitted he

News 12 Staff

Jul 25, 2015, 1:24 AM

Updated 3,418 days ago

Share:

A White Plains firefighter accused of drinking and taking drugs in a deadly wrong-way crash pleaded guilty to all 16 charges at Westchester County Court Friday.
Erik Refvik, of Mahopac, admitted he was driving the wrong way on South Lexington Avenue in White Plains last November when he slammed his SUV into a car driven by Edgar Lopez.
Lopez, 49, was seriously injured, and his ex-wife, Reyda La Madrid, 47, was killed.
Police say he was drunk after a 12-hour drinking spree in White Plains. He also had cocaine, clonazepam and bath salts in his system, in addition to having some cocaine in his car.
Refvik's lawyer says his client wanted to accept responsibility for his actions. "The primary factor in the disposition to this case was the desire of Eric to bring closure and some solace to the extent that he could to the La Madrid family and accept responsibility," says attorney Andrew Quinn.
Refvik has been suspended without pay from the force. He is expected to be sentenced on Sept. 25. He is facing between five and 15 years behind bars.