DA: Guilty plea for driver who hit workers

A Malverne woman who drove high on crack cocaine through a Queens construction zone - badly hurting two workers - pleaded guilty Wednesday, the prosecutor's office said.

The judge on the case said that he would sentence the defendant, Yolanda Silvera, 29, of Franklin Avenue, to 9 years in prison and five years of postrelease supervision, according to the office of the prosecutor, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown.

The workers, Michael Hudson and Robert Keller, suffered life-altering injuries, authorities said.

Silvera pleaded guilty before Justice Steven W. Paynter to first-degree assault in connection with the Aug. 13, 2009, crash, at Rockaway Boulevard and 150th Street at about 10:40 p.m. in the Springfield Gardens neighborhood of Queens.

She admitted she drove at about 60 miles per hour in a 2002 Nissan through the construction zone, which was marked off with lights and orange and white-striped barrels. At the time of the crash, she was arguing with her passenger, prosecutors said.

As a result of the crash, Hudson, 36, had the lower half of his leg amputated. Keller, 35, has had to undergo multiple surgeries.

Silvera's criminal defense attorney, Louis Meehan of East Elmhurst, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.