Elmont woman pleads guilty in fatal DWI crash, Nassau DA says
An Elmont woman, who prosecutors said was driving drunk at nearly three times the speed limit when she struck and killed a 65-year-old man a year ago in Elmont, has pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and other charges.
Julie Debrosse, 31, pled guilty Thursday before Judge Fran Ricigliano to the manslaughter charge, as well as second-degree assault and driving while intoxicated. She is expected to be sentenced on May 5 to 3⅓-to-10 years on the manslaughter charge and 7 years determinate on the assault charge in the death of Michael Saudo, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said.
Singas said Debrosse was driving drunk at almost 90 mph in a 30 mph zone heading north when her 2017 Honda Civic crashed into the driver’s side door of Saudo’s 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier as he turned onto southbound Meacham Avenue from B Street at about 3:10 a.m. on Feb. 17, 2019.
Saudo was rushed to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
Law enforcement officials said Saudo was headed home from work when he was killed.
An investigation determined Debrosse was driving at 88 mph when her car struck and killed Saudo — and Singas said Debrosse was driving home from a party in Queens and had a .14 blood alcohol content 90 minutes after the crash. The legal limit is .08 BAC.
“This crash was not an accident,” Singas said in a statement, adding, “it was a preventable criminal act, and we extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Saudo’s family.”
Debrosse's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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