Driver Sentenced For Death Of Bard College Student: DA

RED HOOK, NY — A motorist who struck and killed a Bard College student last year was sentenced Tuesday to nearly a year in prison.

Judge Jessica Segal ordered Rohan Patrick, 42, to serve 364 days behind bars, according to the Dutchess County District Attorney’s office.

Patrick pleaded guilty in March to criminally negligent homicide in Dutchess County Court for the May 25, 2024 accident in Red Hook. He had been driving a 2017 Ford Fusion when he struck and killed Linh Hong Nguyen as she was walking on the sidewalk, prosecutors said.

District Attorney Anthony Parisi said Patrick admitted driving while drowsy and driving at speeds of 50 to 60 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Parisi called it a “heartbreaking case.”

“The loss of Ling Hong Nguyen—a bright, compassionate young woman—has left a void that cannot be filled,” Parisi said.

Nguyen was a pianist who had just graduated from Bard when she was killed.

“While no legal outcome can undo this tragedy, we hope this step toward accountability offers some measure of comfort to those who loved her,” Parisi added. “We remain committed to supporting the Nguyen family and the community as they continue to grieve and heal.”