New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced the indictment and arraignment of former New York City Police Department officer Stanley Cadet, 27, from North Babylon, and Kayla Lopez, 28, from Bayshore. The charges include Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Assault in the Second and Third Degrees, Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, Reckless Driving, Excessive Speed, and Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device.
According to the indictment, on May 11, 2024, both Cadet—who was off-duty at the time—and Lopez were driving their personal vehicles at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour on Union Boulevard in West Islip. Both allegedly ran a red light while traveling side-by-side for about half a mile in a single lane. Their vehicles collided near the Route 231 overpass between Union Boulevard and John Street. Lopez’s vehicle lost control and struck several telephone poles. Anna Wilson, a passenger in Lopez’s car, was ejected from the vehicle and later died at a local hospital. Another passenger suffered serious injuries.
Cadet and Lopez appeared before Judge Ambro in Suffolk County for arraignment and were released under supervision. They are scheduled to return to court on November 17, 2025. If convicted of the most serious charge, they could face an indeterminate sentence ranging from five to fifteen years in prison.
The Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) is responsible for assessing incidents where a police officer may have caused a person’s death through action or omission—whether the officer was on or off duty—under New York Executive Law Section 70-b. If OSI finds cause for further review after its assessment, it conducts a full investigation into such incidents.
On August 8, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order appointing the Attorney General’s Office as special prosecutor to investigate matters related to Anna Wilson’s death and injuries sustained by another passenger during the incident.
“Criminal charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until found guilty at trial or by plea.”
