Jeremy Weckerle sentenced in driver's death

A North Babylon man was sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to driving while high on prescription drugs and causing a crash that killed a retired teacher.

Addressing Jeremy Weckerle, Fran Gordon, the widow of Paul Gordon, said: "When you killed my husband, you also killed me. But I am still breathing. When you broke his body, you broke my heart. But mine is still beating."

Weckerle, 33, pleaded guilty on Aug. 31 to second-degree manslaughter in the September 2010 crash in Old Brookville that killed Paul Gordon of Jericho.

Prosecutors said Weckerle was driving his Nissan Pathfinder north on Route 107 and weaving in and out of traffic when he crossed the double yellow line into the southbound lane and crashed head-on into a Toyota Avalon being driven by Gordon.

Gordon, 65, sustained multiple injuries and died at a hospital less than an hour later, prosecutors said.

Weckerle, who broke his right leg in the crash, was found to have Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and high levels of Fentanyl in his system, prosecutors said. Fentanyl is a powerful painkiller often administered to end-stage cancer patients, they said. Weckerle does not have cancer, prosecutors said.

Before Judge Alan Honorof sentenced Weckerle, Gordon's wife of 41 years spoke about how she has been affected by his death. In addition to feeling fragile and vulnerable without her lifelong partner, she said his death has hurt her financially, and she has had to sell their home and many of their possessions.

Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice said, "Paul Gordon was a mentor, educator, and friend to many people, and his tragic death could have been prevented. Instead, Jeremy Weckerle's choice to drive ended a man's life, irreparably damaged the victim's family, and landed himself in a prison cell."

Gordon was a longtime science teacher and baseball coach in Manhattan and Syosset schools, his family has said. In retirement, he tutored students and proctored end-of-semester exams, teaching aspiring science teachers at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University.