Prosecutors allege driver had been drinking at a family gathering before snowstorm crash killed one passenger and seriously injured two others
MINEOLA, NY — A family gathering ended in tragedy when a Queens man allegedly drove drunk during a snowstorm, lost control of his car on the Southern State Parkway and crashed into a tree, killing one passenger and leaving two others with life-threatening injuries, according to a Nassau County grand jury indictment.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that 35-year-old Deodat Ramotar was arraigned Tuesday on charges stemming from the Dec. 14, 2025, crash in Elmont.
Ramotar pleaded not guilty before Judge Joseph Girardi and was remanded. He is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 2. If convicted, he faces up to 8⅓ to 25 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Ramotar was driving a 2012 black Hyundai Sonata westbound on the Southern State Parkway at approximately 4 a.m. during a snowstorm with four passengers inside the vehicle after allegedly drinking at a family party.
Investigators allege that as Ramotar approached an exit for the Belt Parkway, he began swerving at a high rate of speed before losing control, spinning out in the snow and crashing into a tree on the parkway’s north shoulder.
Authorities said all three backseat passengers were ejected from the vehicle.
One of those passengers, 58-year-old Ramash Boodnie, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The two other backseat passengers suffered severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, a fractured skull, a shattered hip and pelvis, and multiple internal injuries, according to the district attorney’s office.
Prosecutors said Ramotar and the front-seat passenger were not injured.
Blood drawn approximately two hours after the crash allegedly showed Ramotar had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.09%, according to the indictment.
Ramotar is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, aggravated vehicular assault, first-degree vehicular assault, two counts of second-degree vehicular assault, three counts of second-degree assault, driving while intoxicated per se, common-law driving while intoxicated, and reckless driving.
“What started as a fun gathering with loved ones ended in tragedy because of this defendant’s alleged actions,” District Attorney Donnelly said in a statement. “Deodat Ramotar allegedly spent the night drinking at a family party, got behind the wheel during a snowstorm with a car full of passengers, and crashed into a tree, killing 58-year-old Ramash Boodnie. This crash was entirely preventable and my office intends to hold the defendant fully accountable for the devastation he caused.”
The case is being prosecuted by the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office Vehicular Crimes Bureau.
The charges are accusations, and Ramotar is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Key Points
- A Queens man was indicted on aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges in a fatal Southern State Parkway crash.
- Prosecutors allege the driver had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.09% about two hours after the crash.
- One passenger was killed and two others suffered severe injuries after the vehicle struck a tree during a snowstorm.
