SERIAL DRUNK DRIVER CONVICTED OF AGGRAVATED VEHICULAR HOMICIDE FOR FATAL DWI CRASH

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Jordan Randolph, 43, of Bellport, was convicted after a jury found him guilty of driving while intoxicated, fleeing from police at an extremely high rate of speed, and slamming into another car, killing the driver.

“This defendant made a series of selfish, deadly, and utterly reckless choices,” said District Attorney Tierney. “When you get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated, you are not just putting your own life at risk, but everyone else’s as well. This defendant’s extremely misguided decision to continue to drink and then drive while intoxicated despite multiple prior DWI convictions, ended up costing Mr. Flores Maldonado his life. We will seek the maximum sentence allowable by law for this defendant, and will also continue to pursue tougher drunk driving laws.”

The evidence at trial established that on January 12, 2020, Randolph was out drinking for hours in Islandia as well as at a friend’s home in Mastic. Later that night, while extremely intoxicated, Randolph was driving a 2014 Cadillac ATS southbound on the William Floyd Parkway when he swerved into the opposite lanes of traffic at the intersection of William Floyd Parkway and Rose Executive Boulevard, near the Suffolk County Police Department’s Seventh Precinct.

A police officer who was pulling out of the precinct, saw Randolph reverse and then drive in the southbound lanes of William Floyd Parkway. The officer followed Randolph and attempted to pull him over, but Randolph refused to stop and continued driving. Randolph then made a U-turn at the intersection of William Floyd Parkway and Dawn Drive then fled from the police officer at high rate of speed. As he continued northbound on the William Floyd Parkway, Randolph smashed into a 2015 Ford Escape driven by the victim, 27-year-old Johnathan Flores Maldonado. The collision caused the victim’s vehicle to turn over onto to its roof and thrusted down the road over 500 feet. Flores Maldonado died as a result of blunt force impact injuries he sustained from the crash.

Randolph struggled with responding officers as they attempted to place him under arrest, and hurled profanities at EMT workers who were attempting to treat him. Randolph subsequently refused to submit to a blood test, but a court order was secured by law enforcement which compelled the defendant to provide a blood sample. That sample, which was collected five hours after the crash, showed Randolph’s blood alcohol concentration was a .20% BAC – more than double the legal limit. A search warrant was also obtained for blood that the defendant provided at Long Island Community Hospital approximately two hours after the crash. The results showed Randolph’s blood alcohol concentration was .23% – almost triple the legal limit. A search of the event data recorder in Randolph’s vehicle revealed that he was travelling 137 mph seconds before crashing into the victim, who was driving 45 mph.

On February 15, 2023, Randolph was convicted after a jury trial, heard before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Richard Ambro, of the following charges:

• Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, a Class B felony;
• Manslaughter, a Class C felony;
• Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D violent felony;
• Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class D felony;
• Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, as a Class D felony;
• Operating a Motor Vehicle with .08% of .1% or More in Blood, as a Class D felony;
• Driving While Intoxicated, as a Class D felony;
• Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in the First Degree, a Class D felony;
• Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the First Degree, a Class E felony;
• Circumvention of an Ignition Interlock Device, a Class A misdemeanor;
• Resisting Arrest, a Class A misdemeanor; and
• Reckless Driving, an Unclassified misdemeanor.

Randolph committed these crimes while he had a pending criminal charge of Circumvention of an Ignition Interlock Device, a Class A misdemeanor. Installation of an ignition interlock device is a condition that may be imposed by a court during the sentencing phase of a driving while intoxicated conviction. Ignition interlock devices require a motorist to blow into an instrument that is connected to their vehicle’s engine, and prevents drivers from starting their vehicles if the device detects that the driver has been drinking alcohol.

Additionally, Randolph has a lengthy criminal history that includes 12 prior criminal convictions, six of which are felonies, and multiple prior felony and misdemeanor DWI convictions. Randolph was convicted of felony Driving While Intoxicated in both 2016 and 2018, and misdemeanor Driving While Intoxicated in 2011. Additionally, in 2003, he was sentenced to six to 12 years in prison for felony Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in or Near School Grounds. He also has prior convictions for felony assault from 1998, and attempted robbery from 1997. Randolph is due back in court on March 28, 2023 for sentencing. He faces 15 years to life in prison. He is being represented by Joseph Hanshe, Esq. and Kimberly Wall, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Bureau Chief Carl Borelli and Assistant District Attorney Jacob DeLauter of the Vehicular Crime Bureau.

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Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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