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Rohan Brijlall, 42, of the Bronx, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, a violent felony, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office announced on Monday, Sept. 9 in connection to the crash on Oct. 15 last year.
When he is sentenced on Tuesday, Dec. 3, Brijlall is expected to receive a sentence of four years in state prison.
Brijlall admitted that on the day of the crash, shortly after 3 p.m., Brijlall was driving a Land Rover east on Route 59 and Old Nyack Turnpike in Nanuet when he attempted to illegally pass another vehicle in the left lane from the right, merging into the center lane.
As Brijlall did so, Brijlall sped up to at least 60 mph in a 40 mph zone, and as he did so, he approached his victims’ two vehicles, which had been stopped in the center lane from an unrelated traffic incident.
Brijlall’s SUV struck his first victim’s car, which then struck all three victims, who were exchanging information. One victim suffered an amputated leg and other traumatic injuries. His second victim broke a leg and ruptured a cyst. The third suffered a fractured clavicle and other injuries.
Acting Rockland County District Attorney Kevin Gilleece said that an analysis of Brijlall’s blood after the crash revealed the presence of cocaine, cocaethylene, and benzoylecgonine. He noted that cocaethylene is only formed by the liver when cocaine and alcohol coexist in the blood.
Brijlall had been charged with felony counts of leaving the scene of an injury accident, driving while ability impaired by drugs or alcohol, first-degree vehicular assault, and second-degree vehicular assault, and a misdemeanor count of facilitating aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle
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