Drunk Driver Who Killed NYPD Officer Vilifies Police in Podcast

In breaking news, an NYPD officer was fatally struck by a drunk driver on Long Island Expressway in Queens.

The unfortunate incident occurred early Tuesday while the officer was diverting traffic away from an already fatal accident.

His name is Anastasios Tsakos, a 14-year veteran of the NYPD, husband, and father of 2. May he rest in peace.

After the accident, it was revealed the driver had a podcast aired Monday night in which she was recorded saying “F— the police!” while criticizing officer-involved shootings.

The driver was apparently drunk and high during the podcast, she later told police.

Here is how Twitter is reacting to this somber news:

Killed by an intoxicated driver early this morning, @NYPDHighway Police Officer Anastasios Tsakos loved his family and the city he was dedicated to protecting for the past 14 years. As the NYPD and NYC mourns this tragic loss, we make a solemn vow to #NeverForget Anastasios. pic.twitter.com/FUXLNKP6Cp

— NYPD 72nd Precinct (@NYPD72Pct) April 27, 2021

Police Officer Anastasios Tsakos was killed by a reckless drunk driver while he was doing his job. I am saddened for his loss of life and send love to his wife, children and entire community. This is not acceptable. We need change. #SafeStreetsNow @NYC_SafeStreets @TransAlt https://t.co/B1jXbHzyoz

— Debbie Marks Kahn (@DMkahn128) April 27, 2021

The entire #NYCSheriff is with the @NYPDHighway as they mourn the tragic loss of Police Officer Anastasios Tsakos, who was killed by a drunk driver last night as he directed traffic at the scene of an accident on the LIE.

May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/eUkl9BYgvc

— NYC SHERIFF (@NYCSHERIFF) April 27, 2021

We join the NYPD in mourning the loss of @NYPDHighway Police Officer Anastasios Tsakos who was killed in the line of duty earlier today.https://t.co/RghQMCUJ7p

— NYC Sanitation (@NYCSanitation) April 27, 2021

"Pat Lynch offered similarly high praise for the husband and father.

“In the PD, there are two compliments you can give a fellow police officer that top no other: ‘He’s a cop’s cop,’ and ‘He’s a good guy…You heard them both in this emergency room.”https://t.co/cFm7cxWiM4

— NYC PBA (@NYCPBA) April 28, 2021

Extremely sad to hear about the death of Police Officer Anastasios Tsakos @NYPDHighway who was killed in the line of duty. Our prayers are with him & his family

A husband, a father, a son, & a protector but, most off all, he will forever be remembered as a NYC #Hero #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/q2OmCeo3iI

— NYPD 84th Precinct (@NYPD84Pct) April 27, 2021

We should all be saddened by this unnecessary loss of life. It didn’t have to happen.

The driver’s hatred of an officer could have created possible recklessness at the sight of the police.

When will the left wake up and stop demonizing the police? It only fuels tragedy.

Fox News had more on the story:

The suspected drunk driver charged with striking and killing a New York City police officer made “demonizing” comments about local law enforcement on a podcast she recorded prior to the fatal accident, the leader of a prominent officers’ union says.

Pat Lynch, the head of the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, made the remark Tuesday night following the arraignment of 32-year-old Jessica Beauvais, who has been ordered held without bail in connection to the death of NYPD Officer Anastasios Tsakos earlier that morning. Prior to allegedly striking Tsakos on a highway in Queens, Beauvais recorded a podcast Monday night in which she said “f— the police” and criticized officer-involved shootings.

An NYPD spokesperson told Fox News that so far police have not found any connection between the comments Beauvais made on her podcast and the alleged crimes, but it is “still being investigated.”

“We lost a life today because of choices made by a person that spent the night before demonizing New York City police officers on a podcast,” Lynch said, mentioning how Beauvais “fled the police” after striking Tsakos and “ran as fast as she could” before being taken into custody.

“The professionalism of our fellow police officers stopped her and stopped any other mayhem,” Lynch added. “The reality is, we now have a family that is devastated, that will never be put back together.”

Tsakos, the father of a 6-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son, was diverting traffic away from a fatal accident on a freeway in Queens just before 2 a.m. Tuesday when a vehicle veered and he was struck “head-on” by a 2013 Volkswagen, police said.

He was taken to a local hospital where he died, while Beauvais’ blood alcohol level was found to be 0.159%, above the legal limit of 0.08%, police said.

During the podcast Monday night, Beauvais was seen vaping and drinking from a small red cup.

She later told police she first had two glasses of wine and dropped her 13-year-old child off in Hempstead, then smoked marijuana before bringing a bottle of wine into a studio in Brooklyn for her broadcast and drinking two shots of tequila, according to a criminal complaint presented in Queens Criminal Court Tuesday night, the New York Daily News and ABC7 reported.

The podcast, which lasted for nearly two hours on Facebook Live, began with a segment about the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in the death of George Floyd.

“This week we are going to talk about the ignorance that was the Derek Chauvin trial or the ignorance that is essentially just is this (expletive) justice system,” Beauvais said.

She went on to criticize police shootings and arguments used to justify police shootings.

“Why do you need a weapon to do your job?” she asks. “If you were afraid for your life, go be a secretary at Walmart. Do us all the favor. Go open up a daycare. But please stop hitting us with the (expletive) excuse that you felt threatened about something.”

At the end of the show, Beauvais signed off by saying “I’ll see you guys next Monday… and until then f— the police. F— ’em.”

The NYPD, when asked Wednesday morning for reaction about the comments Beauvais made on the podcast, did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News.

Beauvais now faces a slew of charges, including two counts of vehicular manslaughter, reckless endangerment, leaving an accident resulting in death and driving while intoxicated.

At one point, as police surrounded Beauvais, she tried to escape by backing her vehicle twice into a police car behind her, a criminal complaint said, according to the New York Post.

Prosecutors say if she is convicted on the charges, she faces up to 15 years in prison, the newspaper adds.

Beauvais also was driving on a suspended driver’s license at the time of the crash, police said. In total, her license has been suspended 14 times and she has been cited for multiple driving violations, authorities said.

Following her arrest, Beauvais apologized for the 43-year-old officer’s death as she was being led out of the 107th Precinct in Queens.

“I am sorry that I hit him and that he’s dead,” she sobbed. “I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry!”

When asked what she wanted to tell his family, an emotional Beauvais said: “I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry.” She was then asked by reporters where she was coming from before the crash.

“I was coming from the studio,” as the doors to a police vehicle were being closed. “I do a podcast.”

She struck him and kept going, then tried to flee!

Let’s all keep Officer Tsakos’ family and friends in our prayers.

Here is a clip from ABC7 NY, where it is clear how loved Officer Tsakos was:

Where are all our officials coming to speak of the senseless recklessness of police demonization?

Mayor de Blasio is noted in the video to have condemned ‘recklessness’, which was vague at best, but where is everyone else?

Is it because it doesn’t fit their BLM narrative?