GOSHEN, N.Y. — Yeraldo Roa, 36, of Port Jervis, was sentenced Friday to two and one-third to seven years in state prison for causing the death of an 11-year-old girl in a drunk driving crash in Orange County last year.

Roa had previously pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, admitting that on September 23, 2023, he was severely intoxicated when he crossed double-yellow lines on Route 6 in the Town of Woodbury, crashing into four vehicles. His blood alcohol content at the time was .20%, more than twice the legal limit.

The 11-year-old victim, who was a passenger in Roa’s car, was transported to Garnet Health Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Other occupants of the vehicles involved in the crash were treated for injuries at St. Luke’s Hospital.

“While this defendant no doubt did not intend to kill his young passenger, he nonetheless made a conscious decision to drive knowing that he was severely intoxicated,” said Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “That consequential decision resulted in cutting far too short the life of the faultless victim.”

The New York State Police conducted the investigation, with significant contributions from their Collision Reconstruction Unit. Emergency response efforts were provided by Town of Woodbury EMS and Hatzolah Ambulance Corp. The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Mangold.

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