Brooklyn, NY – A Bronx driver who plowed through multiple red lights at high speeds before slamming into another car and killing its driver in Sunset Park has been sentenced to up to 12 years in prison, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Elvis Nolasco, 28, was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Kim Petersen to an indeterminate term of four to 12 years behind bars after pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
The fatal crash happened around 4:25 a.m. on October 17, 2021, when Nolasco sped southbound in a white Mercedes on Third Avenue. NYPD officers attempted to pull him over, but he refused to stop, running multiple red lights as police chased him at speeds up to 80 miles per hour.
At the intersection of 60th Street, Nolasco blew through another red light and T-boned a Nissan Altima driven by 42-year-old James Lopez, who was driving lawfully through the intersection. Lopez was rushed to NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn, where he was pronounced dead.
According to investigators, Nolasco tried to flee on foot but was caught hiding under a parked car. Police later determined he was driving on a suspended license at the time of the crash.
He was arrested in April 2023 following an investigation by the NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad.
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Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said the sentence reflects the devastation caused by Nolasco’s reckless actions.
“By refusing to stop for police and speeding through one red light after another, this defendant caused a devastating crash that stole the life of James Lopez, an innocent man simply driving lawfully through an intersection,” Gonzalez said.
Nolasco will serve a minimum of four years before becoming eligible for parole.
Key Points
- Bronx driver Elvis Nolasco, 28, sentenced to 4–12 years for fatal Sunset Park crash.
- Nolasco ran multiple red lights while fleeing police before colliding with James Lopez, 42.
- He attempted to flee on foot after the crash but was arrested and later pleaded guilty.
Justice caught up after a deadly run through Brooklyn’s streets.