Keith Dillon, age 34, was sentenced on Wednesday, Oct. 19, to six to 12 years in prison for charges related to the crash that happened in Greenvale on New Year's Day in 2018, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced.
According to the report, on Tuesday, Sept. 20, Dillon pleaded guilty to charges of:
- Aggravated vehicular assault
- Second-degree assault
- Aggravated driving while intoxicated
- Tampering with physical evidence
“Keith Dillon made the selfish choice to drive both drunk and impaired by Xanax early on New Years’ Day 2018 and NCPD Officer Willard Gomes continues to pay the price for Dillon’s reckless actions,” Donnelly said. “Driving at a speed of 70 miles per hour, Keith Dillon crashed his vehicle head-on into an unmarked police car operated by Officer Gomes, who, ironically, was working DWI enforcement. Office Gomes suffered life-altering injuries, will never be able to go back to active police work and is still on the path to recovery. We thank Officer Gomes for his courage and service to the people of this county.”
The crash happened at about 2:20 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2018, the DA's Office said.
Donnelly said Dillon drove his 2014 Dodge Ram south on Glen Cove Road and drove onto the center median, crashing the vehicle into an unmarked police car occupied by Gomes.
The DA's Office said that as a result of the crash, Gomes suffered a brain bleed, a broken elbow, and leg fractures, which required multiple surgeries.
Dillon also fractured his ankle in the crash, Donnelly said.
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