Suffolk Man Indicted In DWI Crash That Threw, Killed Passenger

Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Jessica Gonzalez was not driving the SUV in the fatal crash that killed her, as was originally reported by state police. The driver in the crash, Jhonny Chavarria-Argueta, 20, of Bay Shore has been charged with manslaughter in connection with leaving the scene of the crash.

Stated by the District Attorney's office, a previous version of this article also stated that Gonzalez was 20 at the time of the incident. They have since corrected that she was 19, not 20, at the time of the crash.

BAY SHORE, NY — A Bay Shore man was indicted in court Wednesday after prosecutors said he was intoxicated and speeding his vehicle in a crash that threw a passenger from her seat, killing her.

Jhonny Chavarria-Argueta, 20, is charged with second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, driving while intoxicated, second-degree reckless endangerment, and reckless driving.

Around 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 18, Chavarria-Argueta, drove a rented 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe while intoxicated by alcohol, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney's office said. He drove eastbound on the Southern State Parkway, near the Robert Moses Causeway, at an extremely high rate of speed when he lost control of the vehicle and smashed into the median guardrail, prosecutors said.

The vehicle flipped multiple times and came to a rest on its nose against the causeway overpass.

Jessica Gonzalez, 19, was a passenger in the front seat and was thrown from the vehicle. She died from her injuries.

Chavarria-Argueta climbed out of the vehicle and fled the scene, authorities said.

At his court appearance Wednesday, Chavarria-Argueta was ordered held on $500,000 cash, $1 million bond or $10 million partially secured bond. Additionally, the judge suspended his license.

“The acts allegedly committed by the defendant were reckless, callous and irresponsible,” said District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Not only did he allegedly drive drunk and crash at a high rate of speed, he demonstrated an utter lack of compassion when he left his passenger to die alone rather than remain at the scene to render aid and seek assistance.”

He is due back in court Dec. 20.