LI Man Gets 4-12 Years In Prison For Fatally Striking Couple: DA

BRENTWOOD, NY — A Brentwood man was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for crashing his vehicle into another car and killing two passengers while he was driving drunk and high, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.

Christian Lopez, 28, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, two counts of second-degree manslaughter, and one count of driving while ability impaired by combined influence of alcohol and a drug or drugs.

On October 2, 2021 at about 9:42 p.m., Lopez drove a 2014 Acura sedan eastbound on Second Avenue in Brentwood when he smashed into the rear of a 2004 Toyota Camry that was driven by Rodolfo Polanco who was with his spouse Soraida Polanco, according to court documents and the defendant’s statements.

The impact forced the Camry into the opposite lane where it was struck by an oncoming 2021 Jeep Wrangler, killing both victims. Seven others — passengers in the Camry and the Jeep— were also injured, officials said.

A subsequent search warrant executed on Lopez’s car revealed that it was traveling 67 mph in a 30 mph zone at the time of the collision, prosecutors said.

Prior to driving, Lopez had consumed alcohol and ingested a potent analogue of fentanyl. Lopez exhibited signs of impairment and made admissions to drinking alcohol and to “zoning out.” Toxicology results from a blood sample taken from Lopez revealed a .05% BAC and the presence of fluorofentanyl, officials said.

“This defendant drove while intoxicated at more than twice the speed limit, causing the death of two innocent people through his selfish and reckless actions,” said Tierney. “This case provides yet another tragic example of the need to increase the sanctions for criminally negligent intoxicated drivers. I will continue to fight for tougher drunk driving and drug laws in order to keep our Suffolk County residents safe.”

Lopez pleaded guilty to charges Oct. 27. Prosecutors requested a sentence of six to 18 years in prison.

Carrie Solages, Esq., the attorney who represented Lopez, told Patch that he was grateful to the court for "showing mercy" to his client.

"I'm very thankful for the discretion shown by the judge in the matter, Judge Horowitz. I thank the court for its discretion," said Solages. "That is a very tragic incident in which everyone here is a victim. My client is a victim of the drug epidemic that we see happening with the younger people. We must invest in our children in order to not allow them to make such mistakes."