THOMAS WINKIS, a veteran Philadelphia police sergeant who
served as an aide to one of the city's top cops, was charged with homicide by
vehicle yesterday in connection with a fatal DUI case.
Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey also announced that
Winkis, a 21-year veteran of the force, had been suspended for 30 days with the
intent to dismiss based on information Internal Affairs investigators gathered
about the Sept. 14 car crash that cost a Fishtown man his life.
Winkis was behind the wheel of a Dodge Challenger shortly
before midnight that night when it slammed into David Farries' Ford Econoline
van at State Road and Ashburner Street in Holmesburg, police said.
Farries, 55, was ejected from his van. The father of four
died of his injuries at Aria Hospital's Torresdale campus on Sept. 17.
Winkis, 45, was charged administratively with driving under
the influence while off-duty, and a related offense, police said.
The District Attorney's Office announced on Twitter last
night that Winkis had been charged criminally with involuntary manslaughter,
homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence and several related offenses.
Two nights before the crash, the Fraternal Order of Police
Lodge 5 held a fundraiser in support of Winkis' family.
His ex-wife, a fellow cop named Michelle Winkis, died suddenly
from a brain aneurysm on Sept. 7, leaving behind three children.
"It's tragic all the way around, both for the family of
the individual who died, as well as the Winkis family," Ramsey said last
night.
"Nobody wins on something like this."
Farries' family earlier this week called for justice in the
case, and wondered aloud if Winkis was receiving special treatment.
He served as an aide to Deputy Commissioner Thomas Wright,
and worked on the same floor at Police Headquarters as other top brass.
"There was an investigation that we had to go
through," Ramsey said. "We came to a conclusion ... that there was
sufficient grounds to dismiss him."
John McNesby, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police
Lodge 5, said the union would represent Winkis.
"We'll be there to stand by him," he said. "I
don't know how it's going to work out. It's an unfortunate case for
everybody."