MEDFORD MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FLEEING THE SCENE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH THAT LEFT ONE DEAD AND ANOTHER SERIOUSLY INJURED

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Dolores Mancialandaverde, 28, of Medford, pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, and other related charges, for allegedly operating a motor vehicle while his privilege to drive in New York State was suspended, and then leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in the death of his passenger, Hedilberto Nava-Perez, 44, of Medford, and serious physical injuries to another passenger.

“Mancialandaverde was not supposed to be driving due to having a suspended license,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Thus, this tragedy could have been avoided. Instead, this defendant chose to endanger Suffolk County residents through his egregious conduct and, in the process, caused the death of Hedilberto Nava-Perez, an innocent passenger in the defendant’s car.” 

According to the investigation, on June 8, 2024, at approximately 1:52 a.m., Mancialandaverde was driving his 2008 BMW 328i southbound on Horseblock Road in Medford, with two passengers inside. As a tractor trailer was making a left-hand turn from Horseblock Road onto Express Drive North, Mancialandaverde drove through the intersection and crashed into the tractor trailer. Mancialandaverde exited his vehicle and fled on foot as a bystander attempted to render aid to the victims.

Nava-Perez, Mancialandaverde’s back-seat passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene. Mancialandaverde’s front-seat passenger suffered femur, spinal, and facial fractures, and was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital. The driver of the tractor trailer was uninjured.

At the time of the crash, Mancialandaverde’s privilege to drive in New York was suspended. 

On November 12, 2024, Mancialandaverde pleaded guilty to Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, a Class D felony, and Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, a Class E felony, before Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei.

Mancialandaverde is due back in court on January 8, 2025, and faces two to six years in prison at sentencing. He is being represented by Luigi Belcastro, Esq. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Rosenheck of the Vehicular Crime Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Donal Hughes of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Major Case Unit.

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