Lower East Side hit-and-run suspect is an addiction counselor and was drunk at the time of the crash

Daniel Christopher Hyden, identified as the suspect in the hit-and-run that mowed down 10 people, killing three of them, at a Fourth of July celebration on New York's Lower East Side, is a well respected addiction counselor. He was intoxicated at the time of the hit-and-run.

In fact, Hyden wrote a book titled The Sober Addict, which is described as a guide that will help addicts "learn how to function with this dysfunctional and chronic disease."

"My passion is to help my addicted clients successfully move through the various ‘stages of change’ to prevent their deaths," he said in a statement reported by the New York Post. His personal description claims that the former addict's "mission is to use his lifelong experience with addiction to teach addicts how to save themselves and achieve long-term recovery."

Hyden is now awaiting trial. He has been charged with driving while intoxicated and not having a valid license, in addition to other charges related to the deaths of the three victims. He also has priors for assault and harassment.

At the time of the accident, Hyden suffered minor injuries. Two of the fatalities were a 59-year-old woman and her 38-year-old son. Among the injured is an 11-year-old child who had to be rushed to the hospital.