Sentencing in fatal drugged driving crash

A Glen Cove man who prosecutors say caused a car crash that killed a 19-year-old motorcyclist while driving under the influence of drugs will serve 21/3 to 7 years for his crime, a Nassau judge ruled Monday.

Juan Uribe, 37, was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and drunken and drugged driving in October for causing the three-vehicle crash that killed Pietro Gaudesi of Glen Head, prosecutors said.

Uribe's lawyer, Michael Soshnick, of Mineola, said he will appeal.

Uribe was sentenced a day after Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice held a news conference with Sen. Charles Schumer calling for passage of a bill that she said would provide equipment and training for police to combat the problem of drugged drivers. The measure, co-sponsored by Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Mark Prior (D-Ark.), would provide $140 million to the federal Department of Transportation and states to develop technology to identify drugged drivers at the scene and train police officers to detect signs of drug-impaired driving.

In Uribe's case, prosecutors said he was driving his Nissan sport utility vehicle northbound on Glen Cove Road in May 2010 when he crashed into a tree at the corner of Midwood Cross in East Hills. A taxi and a motorcycle, both also northbound, then crashed into Uribe's SUV, prosecutors said.

The motorcyclist, Gaudesi, was thrown from his vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The taxi driver and one his passengers, as well as Uribe, suffered minor injuries.

Uribe had hydrocodone and prescription muscle relaxers, anti-depressants, and painkillers in his system at the time of the crash, as well as a blood-alcohol level of .02 percent two hours after the crash, prosecutors said.

Uribe's lawyer, Michael Soshnick, of Mineola, said he will appeal.

"This was a tragic accident, but not a homicide. In the fullness of time, we will see whether the appellate courts agree."

"A promising young man's life was violently cut short because of one horrible choice made by this defendant," Rice said in a statement. "This is just the most recent example of the dangers posed by drugged driving and more needs to be done to combat it. It is essential that law enforcement officers receive the training and technology necessary to hold drugged drivers accountable."

The bill has passed the Senate Commerce Committee and is expected to reach the Senate floor next month.