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Nov. 21, 2018 By Christian Murray
A hit-and-run driver who sped through a stop sign and struck a 71-year-old pedestrian while drunk in Whitestone last year has been sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison.
Carmine Minichino, 53, of Corona, was sentenced yesterday after pleading guilty to a slew of crimes in June stemming from a hit-and-run crash that took place at around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017.
Minichino, who was driving a 2009 white Chevy van with a suspended license, went through a stop sign while speeding and struck Paul Sim who was crossing the street at the intersection of 17th Road and Murray Street. He left the scene of the crash and abandoned his van a short distance away and then fled the vehicle on foot.
He later returned to the car with keys in hand and police caught him with a moderate odor of alcohol on his breath and bloodshot eyes. The police administered an intoxilyzer exam and he had an alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit.
Sim was taken to a local hospital with a compound fracture to the right leg and bleeding on the brain, which required multiple surgeries.
Minichino pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting serious physical injury, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and failing to stop for a stop sign.
Minichino, upon completing his sentence, will be subject to two years’ post release supervision. He was also ordered to pay a $1,400 fine.
“Driving isn’t just a privilege, it’s a responsibility,” said District Attorney Richard A. Brown in a statement. “Those who get behind the wheel of a car are entrusted to obey posted traffic sings and be sober at all times.”
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4 Comments
A drunk driver kills a man and NO JAILTIME ???
Yes that is right, no jail time. The judge spoke to me after and he told me there was nothing else by law that he could do and he was in tears as he was speaking. I was hoping times had changed during the last almost 30 yrs. My son’s killing was also a hit and run. The police were able to find him.
Well at least he got something. My 28 year old son was killed by a drunk driver many yrs. ago and did no jail time. Suspended license and nothing else. Presumably he went on to live his life.
Very sad