Huntington Station man sentenced for drunken driving crash that killed his passenger, Suffolk DA says

A Huntington Station man was sentenced up to 12 years behind bars for driving while intoxicated and causing a head-on collision that killed his passenger on Independence Day 2023, the Suffolk district attorney announced Monday.

Leo Flores-Gracias, 26, of Huntington Station, was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated DWI and other charges related to a crash that killed his passenger, Marlon Nunez-Cuellar, 25, of Huntington Station, last year, officials said.

Just after 8 p.m. July 4, 2023, authorities said Flores-Gracias, along with three others, left a party where he had been drinking alcohol. They were inside Flores-Gracias’ 2017 Honda Accord as he was driving northbound on Sweet Hollow Road in Huntington and crashed head-on into a vehicle that was driving southbound, according to the district attorney’s office.

Nunez-Cuellar, one of Flores-Gracias’ passengers, was transported to Plainview Hospital where he was pronounced dead from injuries he sustained in the crash.

Officials said the car’s event data recorder revealed Flores-Gracias was driving 72 mph just one second before the impact in a 30 mph zone.

When Suffolk police arrived at the scene, they observed Flores-Gracias exhibiting signs of intoxication and placed him under arrest, according to the district attorney’s office. Flores-Gracias consented to a blood draw by police, and toxicology testing revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.14%, officials said. Another sample of Flores-Gracias’ blood was seized pursuant to a search warrant and taken at a different time by hospital staff. Officials said that toxicology testing revealed Flores-Gracias’ BAC was 0.19%, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08%

While executing a search warrant of Flores-Gracias’ vehicle, police found an open 12-pack of beer with a one remaining full bottle in the trunk, according to the district attorney’s office.

In a statement, District Attorney Ray Tierney said Flores-Gracias’ "selfish disregard for the safety of others led to the tragic death of his own friend, Marlon Nunez-Cuellar. We hope that the sentence imposed today provides comfort to the victim’s family who have been dealing with the devastating impacts of this defendant’s actions and serves as a reminder not to jeopardize the lives of others by choosing to drive under the influence."

On June 6, 2024, Flores-Gracias pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter, aggravated driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.

Adaline Mercedes Arvelo, Flores-Gracias’ Huntington-based defense attorney, said her client "showed remorse" at his sentencing Monday.

"He’s obviously very sorry about the tragedy," Arvelo said. "Hopefully the family" of Nunez-Cuellar "can move forward."