Port Jervis Man Pleads Guilty to Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree for having killed his 11-year-old female passenger.
Defendant admits having a blood alcohol content of .20 when he drove his car over the double-yellow line on Route 6 striking four oncoming cars.
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that Yeraldo Roa, 35, of Port Jervis, pleaded guilty in Orange County Court to Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree. At the time he pleaded guilty, Roa admitted that he was intoxicated when he caused the death of an 11-year-old girl, who had been a passenger in a car which Roa drove across double-yellow lines into oncoming traffic. Roa admitted that on September 23, 2023, at about 8:30 PM, he had a blood alcohol content of .20 per centum by weight of alcohol, more than twice the concentration which constitutes the crime of Driving While Intoxicated, and that he drove his car across the double-yellow lines on Route 6, in the Town of Woodbury, striking three oncoming vehicles before crashing head-on into a fourth vehicle. Roa and his 11-year-old passenger were transported to Garnet Health Medical Center, where the girl was pronounced dead. Occupants of the other vehicles were treated for injuries at St. Luke’s Hospital.
Roa, who pleaded guilty to the highest count in the Indictment, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 20, 2024.
District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Police for their investigation and the arrest of the defendant. District Attorney Hoovler particularly thanked the Collison Reconstruction Unit of the New York State Police for their investigation and their assistance in the prosecution of Roa. District Attorney Hoovler also thanked the Town of Woodbury EMS and Hatzolah Ambulance Corp. for providing emergency treatment and transport to victims of the collision.
“Deaths such as this are as preventable as they are tragic,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “My deepest sympathy and condolences go out to the family and loved ones of this exceptional girl, who lost her life because someone made a conscious decision to drink and drive. This defendant no doubt did not intend to kill his young passenger, but he made a conscious decision to drive knowing that he was severely intoxicated and knowing that it would put the lives of people he knew, and the lives of people didn’t know, at risk. He chose to do so anyway.”
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Mangold.
This criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
