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Jhonny Chavarria-Argueta, age 20, of Bay Shore, was arraigned on Wednesday, Dec. 7, for multiple charges in the September crash that killed Jessica Gonzalez, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced.
The DA's Office said 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
- Reckless driving
Chavarria-Argueta drove a rented 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe east at a high rate of speed on the Southern State Parkway near the Robert Moses Causeway and Exit 40 at about 4:20 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, Tierney said.
He lost control of the Hyundai and struck the median guardrail, causing the vehicle to flip multiple times before coming to a rest against the Robert Moses Causeway overpass, the DA's Office reported.
Gonzalez was ejected from the vehicle and died from her injuries, according to the report.
Chavarria-Argueta climbed out of the vehicle and fled the scene, Tierney said.
“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 being held on $500,000 cash, $1 million bond, or $10 million partially secured bond, and his license was suspended, the DA's Office said.
Tierney said Chavarria-Argueta is set to appear in court again on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
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