Man Pleads Not Guilty in DWI Crash that Killed E. Setauket Woman

Following in May that left an East Setauket woman dead, a Centereach man now faces felony manslaughter charges after a Suffolk judge unsealed a seven-count indictment on Tuesday.

James O'Donnell, 47, was arraigned in Suffolk County Criminal Court on Tuesday on new elevated felony charges of second-degree manslaughter, two counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter, two counts of second-degree vehicular assault, and two misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated.

A grand jury, which handed down the indictment on July 5, found there was sufficient evidence that he recklessly caused the death of 26-year-old Kristin J. Iacono on May 23 while driving with a blood alcohol level above the legal limit of .08.

While he has been in custody for nearly two months, Judge John J. Toomey set new bail at $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond, which he has not posted as of Wednesday.

Suffolk County police said O'Donnell was intoxicated the night of May 23 as he drove north on Holbrook Road in a 1995 Mercury Marquis. The accident occurred at the intersection of Holbrook Road and the North Service Road of the Long Island Expressway. His vehicle struck a 2005 Lincoln traveling west on the service road, driven by Iacono.

Iacono was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she later died from her injuries. A passenger in her car, Joseph Kemp, 30, of Holbrook, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. 

O’Donnell, who police said was not injured in the crash, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated on the night of the accident. 

He is scheduled to return to county court on Aug. 2.