MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced the indictment of Jorge Bonilla Gutierrez, 18, from Freeport, for his alleged involvement in a fatal drunk driving incident in West Hempstead in August 2023.
Gutierrez faces multiple charges, including Manslaughter in the Second Degree and Vehicular Manslaughter.
On August 7, 2023, around 2:20 a.m., Gutierrez reportedly drove through a red light while intoxicated and speeding, colliding with the rear of a Toyota Corolla on Hempstead Turnpike.
The impact forced the Corolla off the road, crashing into a tree. Inside the Corolla was six-year-old Katerine Vanegas Hernandez, who suffered critical injuries and passed away shortly after at NYU Langone Hospital. The crash also resulted in a fractured spine for her five-year-old brother and multiple broken ribs for the driver of the Corolla.
Gutierrez, arraigned before Judge Terence Murphy, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Nassau County Police Department apprehended him near the crash scene, where empty beer cans were found in and around his vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder. He is remanded in custody, with a court return date set for January 22. If convicted of the top charge, Gutierrez could face up to 15 years in prison.