Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the guilty plea of Kevin Rosas Daqui, 25, of Brooklyn, for driving his car at a high rate of speed, crashing into a disabled vehicle and its driver causing both of the driver’s legs to be amputated, as well as injuries to two of the defendant’s passengers.
“This defendant’s selfish and reckless decision to drink and then drive caused catastrophic injuries to multiple innocent people, one of whom will suffer for the rest of her life,” said District Attorney Tierney. “With the prevalence of ride hailing apps and taxi services, there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to drink and drive. Because of incidents such as this, my office will continue to aggressively prosecute drunk and drugged drivers to keep our streets safe, and I will continue to fight for tougher drunk driving laws.”
According to the court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea, on November 5, 2022, at approximately 12:37 a.m., Rosas Daqui was driving a 2012 Honda Civic to Brentwood with three passengers after spending the evening at the Marine Corps Ball in Westbury. The defendant was driving southbound on the Sagtikos Parkway at a high rate of speed when he struck a disabled vehicle in the right lane near Crooked Hill Road.
One of the victims, who was standing at the rear of the disabled vehicle attempting to remove a spare tire from her trunk, was also struck by Rosas Daqui’s vehicle. The impact caused both of the victim’s lower legs to be instantly severed from her body. Shortly after the crash, an off-duty Suffolk County Police officer and his wife treated the victim by applying belts as tourniquets to both of the victim’s legs in a successful attempt to stop her from bleeding to death. The good Samaritan couple stayed with the victim until medical personnel and law enforcement arrived at the scene. The victim was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where she underwent emergency surgery to close the wounds she sustained as a result of the double amputation.
Two of Rosas Daqui’s passengers sustained injuries as a result of the crash. One, who is a member of the United States Marine Corps, was transported to South Shore University Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for skull and facial fractures and remained in the hospital for 18 days. The other passenger was also transported to South Shore University Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a lower spine fracture. The third passenger suffered no injuries.
A sample of Rosas Daqui’s blood was taken approximately one hour after the crash, revealing his blood alcohol content was .22%, almost triple the legal limit.
On July 10, 2023, Rosas Daqui pleaded guilty before County Court Judge, the Honorable Steven A. Pilewski, for the charges of Aggravated Vehicular Assault, a Class C felony; Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, an Unclassified misdemeanor; and Reckless Driving, an Unclassified misdemeanor.
Rosas Daqui is due back in court to be sentenced on September 14, 2023. He is being represented by Phillip Jusino, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Principal Assistant District Attorney James Curtin of the Vehicular Crime Bureau with the investigative assistance from New York State Police Investigator Dominic Mangiapane.
Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.
