Man Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter, Driving While Impaired In Crash That Killed Merrick Reverend
MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Baldwin man pleaded guilty Friday to manslaughter and driving while impaired in connection to an April crash that killed a reverend from Long Island.
The Nassau County District Attorney's office says 24-year-old Christopher Gomez-Almendarez also pleaded guilty to assault charges.
Officials say Gomez-Almendarez was speeding westbound on the Southern State Parkway around 12:10 a.m. on April 19 when he rear-ended an SUV driven by 69-year-old Reverend Chacko Mammen.
Mammen's vehicle then crashed into several trees on the side of the road. He was taken to Nassau University Medical Center and later died from his injuries.
Mammen was a minister at the Long Island Mar Thoma Church in Merrick.
Officials say Gomez-Almendarez was driving 86-91 mph and was high on alprazolam and fentanyl at the time of the crash.
Gomez-Almendarez will be sentenced in January.