East End Man Responsible For DWI Crash; Convicted of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide in 2014 To Be Sentenced Today 6/25, DA Says

LONG ISLAND, NY – Flanders man convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide to sentenced tomorrow

Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said prosecutors will recommend the maximum prison sentence tomorrow (6/25) for a Flanders man convicted of driving drunk when he struck and killed a woman delivering newspapers to stores in the Hampton Bays business district last year.

After a three-week trial a jury last month convicted Joseph Perez, 31, of Port Street, Flanders, of aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter in the second degree and vehicular manslaughter in the second degree.

Donna Sartori, pictured above with her son was killed as Joseph Perez’s car hit Sartori as she was outside her car delivering newspapers back in January 2014. He had a BAC of .20 when the accident occurred. Photo Credit: Sartori Family, Newsday

DA Spota said Perez had a blood alcohol content of .20 four hours after the fatal crash on January 5, 2014.

Perez drove his Ford pickup onto the shoulder of Montauk Highway near the Ponquogue Avenue intersection and sideswiped a parked car and then the victim’s vehicle as newspaper delivery person Donna Sartori was outside of her car delivering newspapers to stores at around 4:15 am. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

A conviction for aggravated vehicular homicide, a class B felony, is punishable by imprisonment in an upstate correctional facility for up to 25 years.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.