Three Long Island pedestrians dead, three DWI defendants involved

A Hempstead woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to driving drunk and killing a pedestrian in Wheatley Heights, and two men face charges for causing the deaths of people walking in Hempstead and Rockville Centre, prosecutors said.

Shawnet Earle, 32, was drinking at a bar in Wheatley Heights and left shortly after midnight before the Aug. 6, 2021 crash that killed Blanche Pope, 60, according to prosecutors.

Earle, who was driving on a suspended license, headed east on Main Street when she veered off the road near Sunset Avenue and hit a traffic sign and then Pope, of Wheatley Heights. Pope was thrown 100 feet from the road and pronounced dead at the scene.

Earle faces  4 to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter, vehicular homicide and aggravated driving while under the influence of marijuana and alcohol, prosecutors said.

Earle appeared to be drunk, failed a field sobriety test and told police she was drinking. Prosecutors said her blood alcohol concentration was 0.21%, more than twice the legal limit, and showed high levels of THC.

“This tragedy could have been avoided if the defendant, who was not supposed to be driving due to a suspended license, did not drive drunk and high,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement. “Instead, this defendant chose to endanger Suffolk County residents through her egregious conduct and in the process caused the death of Blanche Pope, an innocent individual who was simply walking in her neighborhood.”

As the DWI and vehicular homicide case was pending, Earle was arrested and indicted in a separate pending case in Nassau County on assault and aggravated criminal contempt charges, as well as attempted obstruction of breathing.

Earle’s attorney, Nicholas Ramcharitar, said Judge Stephen Braslow agreed to a lesser sentence of 4 to 12 years after prosecutors previously sought 5 to 14 years in state prison. He said she was also undergoing counseling in jail.

“Ms. Earle is completely remorseful and upset with everything that happened with her being the approximate cause of the accident,” Ramcharitar said. “She wants to send her most heartfelt condolences to the family of the individual killed.”

Separately, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced aggravated vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges against Oscar Argueta, 36, of Hicksville, and manslaughter charges against Christopher Flores, 27, of Long Beach, in two fatal crashes last year, in Hempstead and Rockville Centre, respectively. Prosecutors said both drivers were also charged with driving while intoxicated.

Prosecutors said Flores was drunk and high on drugs on March 19, 2022, while riding a 2020 BMW motorcycle east on Merrick Road when he struck and killed Scott Brower, 42, of Rockville Centre, as he crossed at a crosswalk at South Forest Avenue.

Brower was walking home after meeting a friend for drinks at Rockville Centre’s Irish Day festivities when he was struck, Donnelly said.

“Despite making the responsible choice," Donnelly said, "Scott never made it home that night and later died."

Flores suffered serious injuries in the crash. He was arrested and charged the next day and arraigned Tuesday on a grand jury’s indictment. He pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree manslaughter, first-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment, driving while ability impaired by alcohol and drugs, and reckless endangerment.

He was released without bail Tuesday awaiting his next court date. If convicted, Flores faces  5 to 15 years in prison.

In a separate June 26, 2022, crash, a grand jury returned an indictment Tuesday against Argueta on charges of vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Prosecutors said that at 1:40 a.m., Argueta was driving drunk at a high rate of speed in a Dodge Durango on Greenwich Street when he broadsided a Mercedes-Benz driven by David Popoola, 48, with his wife as a passenger

“The force of the crash sent the couple’s vehicle hurtling into a utility pole and killed David Popoola. His wife survived the crash with serious injuries,” Donnelly said in a statement.

Argueta pleaded not guilty Tuesday and was released without bail.

Both Argueta and Flores are represented by Mineola attorney Dennis Lemke.

“This is clearly an emotional day for all parties, including my clients and the families involved,” Lemke said. “We will deal with it through the proper legal system.”

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.