FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT
DATE: DECEMBER 16, 2013
RE: PRESS RELEASE – PEOPLE V
FRANCISCO VASQUEZ-CRUZ
Francisco
Vasquez-Cruz, (DOB 2/4/1987), of 2 Roosevelt Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY, entered a
guilty plea to Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree in Ulster County
Court today before the Honorable Donald A. Williams.
Vasquez-Cruz
was arrested by members of the Town of Lloyd Police Department on May 2, 2013,
after Vasquez-Cruz’s Chevy Trailblazer collided head-on into a motorcycle
driven by Fernando Diaz, Jr., 41, of Newburgh, N.Y. Investigation revealed that
Vasquez-Cruz had been drinking at a bar in Newburgh and was driving north on
Route 9W with no headlights on at approximately 10:30 PM towards the Mid-Hudson
Bridge ramp when the impact occurred. Collision reconstruction performed by the
New York State Police revealed that the impact occurred in the lane of travel
occupied by the motorcycle.
Blood
test results revealed that Vasquez-Cruz had a blood alcohol content of .25 at
the time of the accident.
Vasquez-Cruz
will be sentenced in February, 2014. The case was prosecuted by Senior
Assistant District Attorney Gerard Van Loan and Vasquez-Cruz was represented by
Maria Tobia.
