Story by Ethan
On July 9th, 2026, the arrest of Robert Koch, age 26, was announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr.. Robert Koch was charged with second-degree Manslaughter as a class C felony, two counts of second-degree Vehicular Manslaughter as a class D felony, third-degree Assault as a class A misdemeanor, Aggravated Vehicular Homicide as a class B felony, Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated as a misdemeanor, and Driving While Intoxicated as a misdemeanor. The arrest and charges against Robert Koch were a result of an investigation handled by Detective Ramon Pina from Highway Criminal Intelligence Section.
According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, at approximately 3:30 a.m. on May 3rd, 2026, Robert Koch entered his car located on West 51st Street after leaving an event in Times Square. The defendant then drove on West 57th Street before incorrectly entering the southbound lane of the West Side Highway while driving northbound. Robert Koch avoided several vehicles traveling in the correct direction before he collided head on with an uber driver and their passenger near West 72nd Street. The uber driver and passenger ended up trapped inside their vehicle until rescued by FDNY responders. A nearby eyewitness managed to pull Robert Koch out of the driver’s seat of his vehicle. All three individuals involved in the crash were taken to local hospitals to receive treatment for their injuries. Ada Rivero, the passenger of the uber, was pronounced dead at 6:36 a.m. as a result from several blunt force injuries sustained from the crash.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Robert Koch are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
