Man Pleads Guilty To Huntington Drunk Driving Crash That Killed Passenger: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Huntington Station man pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges for driving while intoxicated and crashing into another vehicle, killing his own passenger, in 2023, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced Friday.

Leo Flores-Gracias, 26, admitted to causing the death of Marlon Nunez-Cuellar, 25, of Huntington Station, Tierney said.

"This defendant’s decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol caused the tragic death of Marlon Nunez-Cuellar," Tierney said in a news release. "Today's guilty plea should be a warning to others that drunk driving will not be tolerated in Suffolk County, and you will face serious penalties, particularly if you cause injury or death to another person."

On July 4, 2023, around 8:05 p.m., Flores-Gracias and three others left a party where he had been drinking alcohol, according to court documents. All four got into Flores-Gracias’ 2017 Honda Accord, the DA said.

Flores-Gracias began driving northbound on Sweet Hollow Road in Huntington and crashed head-on into a vehicle that was driving southbound, authorities said. The Honda's data showed that Flores-Gracias was traveling 72 mph just one second before the impact on a roadway where the posted speed limit is 30 mph, investigators said.

Nunez-Cuellar, one of Flores-Gracias’ passengers, was pronounced dead at Plainview Hospital from injuries suffered in the crash, the DA said.

Police officers saw Flores-Gracias exhibiting signs of intoxication and arrested him, officials said. Flores-Gracias consented to a blood draw upon request by police, authorities said.

Toxicology testing of his blood revealed Flores-Gracias’ BAC was 0.14%, prosecutors said. A sample of Flores-Gracias’ blood taken by hospital staff was also seized as part of a search warrant, officials said. Toxicology testing of that blood sample, taken at a different time than the sample taken by police, revealed Flores-Gracias’ BAC was 0.19%, more than two times the legal limit, the DA said.

Containers of Corona beer were also recovered from the trunk of Flores-Gracias’ car during the execution of a search warrant, Tierney said.

Flores-Gracias on Thursday pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter, aggravated DWI, and reckless driving.

Flores-Gracias is due back in court for sentencing on Aug. 20. He is expected to be sentenced to four to 12 years in prison. He is being represented by Adaline Arvello.

Arvello did not respond to Patch's request for comment.