BAY SHORE, N.Y. (1010 WINS) — A 20-year-old man was indicted Wednesday after he ran away from a high-speed drunk-driving crash that killed his front-seat passenger, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.
Jhonny Chavarria-Argueta is charged with second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, driving while intoxicated, second-degree reckless endangerment and reckless driving.
According to court filings, Chavarria-Argueta, of Bay Shore, was intoxicated when he drove a rented 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe around 4:20 a.m. on Sept. 18. He was speeding eastbound on the Southern State Parkway near the Robert Moses Causeway when he lost control of the car and smashed into the median guardrail.
Prosecutors said the impact caused the car to flip multiple times before finally coming to a rest on its nose against the Robert Moses Causeway overpass. Front-seat passenger Jessica Gonzalez, 20, was ejected from the vehicle and died from her injuries.
Chavarria-Argueta climbed out of the car and fled the scene, authorities said.
During his court appearance Wednesday, he was ordered held on $500,000 cash, $1 million bond or $10 million partially secured bond. In addition, the judge suspended his license.
"The acts allegedly committed by the defendant were reckless, callous and irresponsible," Tierney said. "Not only did he allegedly drive drunk and crash at a high rate of speed, he demonstrated an utter lack of compassion when he left his passenger to die alone rather than remain at the scene to render aid and seek assistance."
Chavarria-Argueta is due back in court on Dec. 20.
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