Member Since: 24/04/2005
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Influences: Three weeks after Galjanic, 23, was struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver while riding his motorcycle, his loved ones and friends united for a candlelight vigil at the spot where the accident occurred. The sorrowful assemblage exchanged anecdotes of how Galjanic had touched their lives. His cousin Bo Mrakovcic told of the time he dared Galjanic to shave his head - for a price - and how Galjanic didn't even hesitate. "Of course he did it - it was money," Mrakovcic joked. Ralph Gallo, who said he met Galjanic only five years ago, described his fallen friend as a loving, generous man. "Tony was a great kid," Gallo said. "If he could do something for you, he would do it. No questions asked." After memories had been shared, Galjanic's father, Anthony, said a final goodbye. "Anthony, I hope you're in a better place," he said. "I know we're not right now." With that, the mass broke into a somber salute of "Amazing Grace," proceeded slowly to the traffic light that failed to protect Galjanic, and lit blue and white decorative candles in remembrance. A day to forget, a son to remember Galjanic's girlfriend for a year and a half, Krystina, said that she called her boyfriend and asked him to meet her at CVS on Monday, June 6. A half-hour had passed and Galjanic, who lived just blocks away, was nowhere in sight. She knew something was wrong. "Half an hour goes by and I think to myself, Where is he?" she said. "I keep calling and calling. For two hours I waited at CVS, calling and leaving messages, screaming, 'Where are you? I'm worried?'" Then she received a call from a police officer, telling her there had been an accident. The same call went out to Galjanic's parents, Anthony and Anka. Their son was taken to Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola and was rushed into surgery. According to police, Galjanic was riding his 2004 Yamaha motorcycle westbound on Hempstead Turnpike in West Hempstead at about 5 p.m. when he collided with a 1993 Cadillac Deville driven by Robert Clarey, 62, who was heading eastbound on Hempstead Turnpike when he attempted to make a left turn onto Cherry Valley Avenue. Clarey's vehicle struck the motorcycle, throwing Galjanic 35 feet, while the motorcycle landed 75 feet away, on Cherry Valley Avenue. Police said that Clarey, of Garden City South, fled the scene but was arrested a short time later by officer Mark Casella on Cherry Valley Avenue, less than a mile north of Hempstead Turnpike. Anka's ride to the hospital was filled with fear, which grew when a doctor said her son had only a 30 percent chance of surviving. After complex surgery, the chances were reduced to 10 percent. "We knew he was a strong kid, and we all thought he was going to pull through," she said. "There was hope, right up until that last second." That last second came the next morning, when Galjanic succumbed to his injuries at age 23. Seeking justice Clarey is a former Nassau County assistant district attorney, and Galjanic's family fears that his punishment will not fit the crime. According to police, he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with serious physical injury or death, a felony punishable by at least a year in prison and a maximum of four years. Jackie Galjanic, Anthony's sister, said she hopes the man who killed her brother pays the maximum penalty. However, she believes the courts will be lenient because of Clarey's history. "Definitely [I want to see] that he goes to jail and that he doesn't slide on everything because he's a lawyer, and that he gets everything that he deserves for what he did," she said. Mrakovcic said the fact that Clarey is a lawyer just makes the alleged drunk driving even more heinous. "He hit him like he was a dog," Mrakovcic said. "After he hit [Anthony] he didn't even stop the car. He didn't have the human decency to get out of the car and see if the kid was all right. He was just going to drive away." As far as Clarey's punishment is concerned, Mrakovcic said, "I'm preparing myself that it's going to be a slap on the wrist. That's the way I feel about it - it's not going to be right." Added Krystina, "Nothing's going to bring Anthony back, but I hope [Clarey] gets what he deserves. But I don't think he's going to get what he deserves." Comments about this story? [email protected] or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
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