Police

Flanders man in fatal DWI crash convicted of vehicular homicide

JOSEPH PEREZ MUG SHOT
Joseph Perez mug shot

A Flanders man has been found guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide in the drunk driving crash in Hampton Bays that killed a newspaper deliverywoman in January 2014.

Joseph Perez, 31, was also convicted in a Suffolk County courtroom of felony vehicular manslaughter and manslaughter Tuesday afternoon.

Mr. Perez faces up to 25 years in prison for the top charge and is due to be sentenced later this month, online court records show.

Mr. Perez — the single father of a 10-year-old son — was driving from the Dream Nightclub in Hampton Bays early on Jan. 5, 2014 when he crashed into a parked car.

Prosecutors said Mr. Perez continued speeding on Montauk Highway into Hampton Bays, where he ultimately drove onto the shoulder of the road and hit another parked car which crashed into a third vehicle and its driver, 56-year-old Donna Sartori of Middle Island.

Ms. Sartori was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her husband reportedly shouted, “Yes! Yes!” in the courtroom as the verdict was read, according to a Newsday report.

District Attorney Thomas Spota said Mr. Perez’s blood alcohol level was double the legal limit at the time of the crash.

Both Mr. Perez’s court appointed attorney — George Duncan of Central Islip — and Suffolk County prosecutors couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday morning.

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