An 18-year-old from Queens has been sentenced to up to four years in prison for causing a deadly crash in 2023 that killed 14-year-old Fortune Williams, who was riding in the passenger seat of a speeding BMW he was driving illegally at age 16.
The teen, who was granted youthful offender status by Supreme Court Justice Michael Yavinsky, pleaded guilty in May to multiple charges including second-degree manslaughter, second- and third-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and reckless driving. He was sentenced Friday to 1⅓ to 4 years in prison.
Prosecutors said the teenager was driving a red 2005 BMW 325i at 101 miles per hour on North Conduit Avenue on May 17, 2023, more than three times the 30 mph speed limit. While switching lanes, the teen lost control of the car, struck a parked UPS truck, and then collided with a moving tractor-trailer. Williams died as a result of the crash.
The vehicle had been given to him by his parents, who were both criminally charged for allowing their underage son to access and operate it. In a first-of-its-kind case in New York, the parents were held legally accountable.
The teen’s father, Sean Smith, pleaded guilty in 2024 to endangering the welfare of a child and received three years’ probation, along with mandatory parenting classes and attendance at a victim impact panel. His mother, Deo Ramnarine, pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and disorderly conduct. After completing her court-mandated programs, the more serious charge was dropped, leaving only a disorderly conduct conviction.
The teen had previously been ticketed for driving without a license months before the fatal incident.