COLONIE, NY – Saratoga County District Attorney Karen A. Heggen announced that on September 29, 2021 Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy, III sentenced Sarah H. Zimmerman (dob 9/28/1996), of the Town of Colonie, to a 1 to 3 year indeterminate term of incarceration in a state correctional facility for her conviction for Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree, a “Class E” felony, in violation of New York State Penal Law Section 120.03(1) regarding a crash that occurred on October 20, 2020 in the Town of Halfmoon. An investigation by the New York State Police determined that while defendant Zimmerman was driving her Dodge Ram pickup truck on Grooms Road in the early morning hours of October 20th, she crossed over into the oncoming lane of travel and crashed head-on into a Honda CRV traveling in the opposite direction. The female driver in the in the Honda CRV suffered life-altering injuries in the crash, including permanent internal injuries to her abdomen and to her lower legs.
At the crash scene, the defendant failed multiple field sobriety tests administered by a New York State Police Drug Recognition Expert (DRE). It was determined that Zimmerman had been drinking and was intoxicated at the time of the crash. A subsequent chemical blood test revealed that Zimmerman’s blood alcohol content was a 0.16%, twice the legal limit, at the time of the crash.
District Attorney Heggen noted that “This case is an example of the terrible decision making of a young defendant who chose to get behind the wheel while intoxicated and unable to safely operate the vehicle. The resulting crash and horrific injuries sustained by the victim were the tragic result of defendant Zimmerman’s decision drink and drive.”
DA Heggen recognized the efforts of Assistant District Attorney Shawn M. Lescault, who prosecuted the case with the assistance Crime Victim Specialist Mollie Benware, District Attorney Investigator Jack Barney, as well as the New York State Police and the NYSP Collision Reconstruction Unit.