New York has several severe criminal penalties for drivers who drive while impaired by drugs and cause an accident that takes a life. One of the charges that the driver could face is vehicular assault in the first degree. They may also face charges of criminally negligent homicide, vehicular manslaughter, aggravated criminally negligent homicide, or even murder charges. This will all depend on what the underlying charge is and the criminal history of the driver. The penalties for the above charges are severe if convicted. If convicted of the manslaughter charges, the driver can face sentences from seven years to up to fifteen years.
The Brentwood-Central Islip, NY Patch reports that the driver who fatally struck a four-year-old was under the influence of marijuana.
The incident occurred at about 6:50 p.m. on Tuesday on Fulton Street in Brentwood.
According to police, 19-year-old Christian Yanes was behind the wheel of a 2018 Honda Civic and traveling northbound on Fulton Street. He struck a 4-year-old girl in the roadway.
The 4-year-old was rushed to Southside Hospital in Bayshore where she was pronounced dead.
Yanes has been charged with driving while impaired by drugs. He was held overnight and arraigned the next morning at First District Central Court in Central Islip.
Police allege that Yanes verbally admitted to smoking marijuana before the crash and also provided a written statement. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Yanes was released following the arraignment but was ordered to wear a monitoring bracelet, seek drug treatment, and obey a 6 p.m. curfew.
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