SHARE

Driver Gets Prison Time For Hit-Run That Killed Beloved Community Leader In Westchester

A 43-year-old man will spend years behind bars for hitting and killing a beloved community member in Westchester with his truck while under the influence of drugs, officials announced. 

Stephanie Kavourias

Stephanie Kavourias

Photo Credit: Hartsdale Parking Authority

Brooklyn resident Antonio Robles Sanchez was sentenced to a term of two to six years in state prison for his role in an August 2023 hit-run crash in Hartsdale that killed 65-year-old Stephanie Kavourias, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday, Sept. 23. 

At around 11:15 a.m. on the day of the crash, Aug. 26, 2023, Robles Sanchez drove his Dodge Ram into Kavourias at the intersection of Rockledge Road and East Hartsdale Avenue in Hartsdale before driving away from the scene. He had been under the influence of Xanax.

Kavourias was then taken to White Plains Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. 

Officers from the Greenburgh Police Department identified Robles Sanchez as the suspect after recovering his license plate at the crash scene. He was later arrested while stopped in a lane of traffic while asleep at the wheel in his truck in front of the Westchester County Center in White Plains, officials said.

Robles Sanchez pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular manslaughter and other felonies on Thursday, Aug. 1. 

Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah released a statement following the sentencing: "The victim was a beloved figure in the Greenburgh community, and her life was senselessly taken when the defendant chose to get behind the wheel of his car and drive while impaired." 

"We hope this prosecution and sentence helps Ms. Kovourias’s loved ones begin the process of healing from this tragedy," Rocah continued. 

Kavourias was well-known in Hartsdale as the former manager of the Hartsdale Parking Authority. She also served as the leader of her co-op in Hartsdale and had also been a member of the Greenburgh Planning Board.

Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner fondly remembered Kavourias as someone who loved helping others and pushing for the beautification of East Hartsdale Avenue. 

"Her passing is an enormous loss to the town and to the Avenue," Feiner said at the time of her death. 

Since her death, the New York State Legislature approved legislation allowing for red light cameras at the intersection where the crash happened. 

Additionally, a parking garage in Hartsdale at 234 East Hartsdale Ave. was dedicated in her memory in June 2024. 

to follow Daily Voice Pelham and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE