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Fernando Ramirez Jr., age 34, of Bay Shore, who was convicted by a jury in April for the 2017 crash, was sentenced on Tuesday, June 1, said Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini.
The crash took place on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017, when Ramirez was driving a 2008 Subaru eastbound on the Long Island Expressway service road in Hauppauge.
At approximately 3:20 a.m., Ramirez ran a red light at the intersection of the service road and Route 111 and struck a red 1997 Ford F150.
The vehicles then collided with a blue 2004 Infiniti G35 that was traveling northbound on Route 111.
A passenger in the Ford, Daniel Granados, age 31, of Central Islip, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.
The driver of the Ford was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious physical injuries. The driver of the Infiniti was transported to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore for treatment of minor injuries.
Ramirez sustained two broken femurs in the crash. Approximately one hour after the crash, a blood test revealed Ramirez’s blood-alcohol level to be .19 percent, the DA's Office said.
His blood also tested positive for the presence of THC.
Ramirez also claimed to have sustained a traumatic brain injury in the crash.
In July 2019, the District Attorney’s Office began an investigation into Ramirez’s condition based on evidence that he may have been feigning symptoms related to the alleged injury, including requiring the use of a wheelchair and exhibiting signs of cognitive impairment such as limited speech and a comatose-like state of awareness at times.
The Office obtained surveillance video of his house that showed him acting in a manner inconsistent with his condition on numerous occasions, including one instance in which Ramirez loaded his own wheelchair into the car at his house before leaving for a court appearance then arriving at court in the wheelchair, the DA's Office said.
A report produced by a certified psychologist indicated that Ramirez showed signs of “feigned cognitive impairment.”
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