Who was indicted in the Dean Whetzel death case?

Dana Escoffier, an 80-year-old man, was indicted for criminally negligent homicide in the death of his neighbor, Dean Whetzel.

What happened on the West Village sidewalk?

Dana Escoffier allegedly shoved Dean Whetzel after a bump, causing Mr. Whetzel to fall and hit his head, leading to his death.

When did Dean Whetzel die after the incident?

Dean Whetzel died on November 5th, over three weeks after the sidewalk incident on October 11th.

Home / Crime and Justice / Elderly Man Faces Charges in Neighbor's Death

Elderly Man Faces Charges in Neighbor's Death

31 Dec

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Summary

An 80-year-old man was indicted for criminally negligent homicide.
The charge stems from an October shove that killed his neighbor.
The victim, 82, died after falling and hitting his head.

Elderly Man Faces Charges in Neighbor's Death

A Manhattan grand jury has indicted 80-year-old Dana Escoffier on a charge of criminally negligent homicide in connection with the death of his longtime neighbor, 82-year-old Dean Whetzel. The incident occurred on October 11th when Mr. Escoffier allegedly shoved Mr. Whetzel on a West Village sidewalk after a bump. Mr. Whetzel fell, hitting his head on the pavement, and tragically died from his injuries on November 5th. The medical examiner subsequently ruled his death a homicide.

Mr. Escoffier and Mr. Whetzel had been neighbors for nearly fifty years, residing in buildings owned by the same landlord and generally maintaining a friendly relationship. Mr. Whetzel owned a wash-and-fold laundry business where Mr. Escoffier was a customer. Despite their long-standing acquaintance, the confrontation on Hudson Street near West 10th Street escalated when Mr. Escoffier pushed Mr. Whetzel after the latter bumped into him.