Jhonny Chavarria-Argueta of Bay Shore pleads guilty in DWI crash that killed Jessica Gonzalez of Commack
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney at a news conference in March. Credit: Danielle Silverman
A Bay Shore man will be sentenced to between 4 and 12 years in prison after admitting drinking several types of alcohol and driving up to 120 mph the night of a fatal crash he fled on Southern State Parkway last September.
Jhonny Chavarria-Argueta, 21, pleaded guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei in Riverhead Thursday to second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and driving while intoxicated. The Sept. 18 crash claimed the life of 19-year-old Jessica Gonzalez of Commack, a passenger and acquaintance.
“This defendant's selfish actions in driving drunk and speeding resulted in the death of this young woman, who was a defenseless passenger in his vehicle,” District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement.
Chavarria-Argueta said at his change of plea hearing that he consumed beer and alcohol-infused tea and seltzer the night of the crash.
“I don’t know how much,” he told Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Varuolo.
Police had said Chavarria-Argueta was driving a rented 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe east on the Southern State Parkway at “an extremely high rate of speed” near Exit 40 at 4:20 a.m. on Sept. 18, when he lost control and struck a median guardrail. The vehicle flipped “multiple times,” ejecting Gonzalez from the front passenger seat.
“My client and his family are mourning the loss of this young lady,” said defense attorney Cornell V. Bouse. “He hasn’t been able to show that … but at sentencing people will see just how remorseful he is.”
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office said that following the crash Chavarria-Argueta “climbed out of the vehicle,” which came to a rest with its nose against the Robert Moses Causeway overpass, and fled on foot. Vehicle data showed he was driving 120 mph within seconds of the crash.
“The defendant’s selfishness continued even after the crash, when he refused to stay and render her aid, and, instead, cowardly ran away in an attempt to avoid being caught by law enforcement,” Tierney said. “Thankfully he has been, and will now be, off the roads for a substantial time while he sits in prison for his crimes.”
Bouse said that weighing circumstantial evidence and the likelihood of a sentence "three times that" if convicted at trial, accepting the plea agreement was the best option for his client.
“We can’t go back and save the life of this young lady, but we can save the life of this young guy, who is sorry,” Bouse said.
Chavarria-Argueta is scheduled to be sentenced June 1.
Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.
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