Reckless Driver Sentenced to Three-to-Six Years for Killing Man on Scooter on 9th Avenue

By Yehudit Garmaise

Valdez Heron, 31, of Flatbush, who tore through a red light on 46th Street and 9th Avenue nearly two years ago causing the death of Wu Xiang, was sentenced on Thursday to three-to-six years in prison.

Supreme Court Justice John Hecht sentenced Heron yesterday after Heron pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter on June 6, 2020.

On Oct. 18, 2020, Heron, who was driving a 2015 Dodge Charger, struck Wu Xiang, a deliveryman, who had been riding a motorcycle through the Boro Park intersection, before he was thrown over the hood of Heron’s car and onto the pavement, where he was knocked unconscious and suffered a blunt head injury.  

Two months later, Xiang tragically died of his wounds at Maimonides Medical Center.

At the time of the accident, Heron jumped out of his Charger while it was still in drive, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, which caused the car to roll down the street and hit a parked car, before he was arrested at the scene.

Police officers then took Heron into custody, and the NYPD Highway District's Collision Investigation Squad determined that he was driving dangerously.

Heron was also charged with attempted reckless endangerment, attempted assault, attempted reckless driving, attempted motor vehicle failure to yield to pedestrian or bicyclist causing injury, red light violation, and attempted failure to exercise due care.