DA: Man gets prison in accident that killed woman, hurt teen

A Westbury man who drove with two young women on the trunk of his car, killing one and seriously injuring the other, has been sentenced to 4 to 8 years in prison, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Herbie McLeod, 29, had pleaded guilty July 27 to second-degree manslaughter, third-degree assault and resisting arrest before Supreme Court Justice Angelo Delligatti, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.

The district attorney’s office had recommended 6 to 12 years in prison for McLeod, who was sentenced Monday, Singas said.

Authorities said Sabrina Paul, 18, the daughter of McLeod’s girlfriend, died in the 2015 accident. The other victim, whose name has not been released, was just 16.

In an account provided by the district attorney’s office, Paul and the other teen were sitting on the trunk of McLeod’s BMW, which was parked on the side of Brook Street in New Cassel on July 12, 2015. Knowing the teens were on his trunk, authorities said, McLeod then drove the BMW “faster than residential street speed,” driving through a stop sign without stopping, making a U-turn and driving even faster as he headed back up Brook.

As McLeod was driving around, Paul and the teen fell off the car and landed on the pavement.

Instead of calling for help or taking them to a hospital, authorities said, McLeod first tried to wake Paul by “slapping” her face while she was still on the ground. He then drove Paul and the 16-year-old back to his girlfriend’s home, authorities said, putting them in bed. By the time the girlfriend, whose identity was released, discovered the teens, authorities said Paul was “unconscious.”

Singas said in a statement that Paul suffered “skull fractures and brain swelling.” She later died. The 16-year-old suffered “abrasions that left scars on various parts of her body” and said she was “on crutches and in a boot for an ankle injury that required physical therapy for four months.”

She also had to have a fingernail surgically reattached, Singas said.

“Knowing that two girls were sitting on his trunk, this defendant dangerously drove his vehicle until the girls were thrown into the street, killing one and severely injuring the other,” Singas said in her statement. “This type of reckless and unconscionable driving will not be tolerated in Nassau County.”

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

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.”