A Borough Park man was sentenced last week to three to nine years in prison for killing 31-year-old Katherine “Katie” Harris while driving drunk and speeding through a red light in Cobble Hill in 2023.
Erick Taxilaga Trujillo, 29, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter on Jan. 27 in connection with the April 16, 2023, crash that killed the makeup artist and aesthetician, originally from Hyde Park, as she crossed Atlantic Avenue. Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Christopher Robles handed down the sentence on Feb. 27.
“This defendant made a disastrous decision when he got behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. “In doing so, he caused an innocent woman to be killed and endangered many others in Brooklyn that night. He has now been held accountable for his criminal conduct. I remain committed to keeping our borough’s streets safe for all people.”
Taxilaga Trujillo was driving a 2012 Volvo S60 westbound on Atlantic Avenue at around 9:56 p.m. when he ran a red light at Clinton Street and struck Harris, who was in the crosswalk with the right of way. Taxilaga Trujillo then rear-ended another vehicle, causing both cars to crash into an outdoor dining shed.
Paramedics arrived shortly after the incident and found Harris several yards from the intersection where the crash occurred, pronouncing her dead on the scene.
When police officers arrived, they observed Taxilaga Trujillo with red eyes, slurred speech, and the smell of alcohol on his breath. He refused to take a breathalyzer test but later underwent a blood test at Methodist Hospital, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of .17 — more than twice the legal limit of .08.
Data from the vehicle’s black box showed Taxilaga Trujillo was driving 72 mph in a 25 mph zone, authorities said.
In a tribute to Harris, her family said she had always dreamed of moving to New York City from upstate and “after years of hard work and determination, she “made that dream a reality,” making Brooklyn her home.
“Katie was a bold and fearless woman who spoke her mind and never hesitated to share her thoughts and opinions. Her ambition, determination, and focus were unmatched,” the family wrote in her obituary.
Following Harris’ death, local leaders called on the city to take immediate action to protect Brooklynites on the crash-prone thoroughfare. The Department of Transportation later implemented new safety projects along Atlantic Avenue, including mid-block crossings and new traffic signal changes.
