Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Ryan Wilson, 21, of West Islip, was indicted for Assault in the Second Degree, Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree and other related charges, after he crashed his vehicle, while allegedly intoxicated and at a high rate of speed, into a 67-year-old man who was backing his vehicle out of a driveway.
“Imagine backing out of a driveway in a residential neighborhood and in a blink of an eye, you are mauled by a vehicle travelling at an obscene amount of speed. That is what vehicular assault is, and that is what is being alleged in this case,” said District Attorney Tierney. “The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office will continue to hold individuals accountable for their dangerous actions.”
According to the investigation, on March 9, 2024, at approximately 8:45 p.m., Wilson and four other individuals left Wilson’s home and got into his 2023 Tesla Model Y vehicle. Wilson allegedly began driving at a high rate of speed northbound on West Islip Road in West Islip. As Wilson continued to drive down the residential road, the 67-year-old victim was backing his truck out of his family’s driveway.
Wilson allegedly drove intoxicated and upwards of 94 mph before he struck the victim’s driver’s side door causing catastrophic damage. When medical personnel arrived, they had to extricate the victim out of his vehicle. The victim suffered a severe spinal cord injury, which required surgery. Wilson and one of his passengers were also transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore for treatment of minor injuries.
On May 31, 2024, Wilson was arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski for the following charges:
- Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D felony;
- Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree, a Class E felony;
- Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor;
- Driving While Intoxicated Per Se, an Unclassified misdemeanor;
- Driving While Intoxicated, an Unclassified misdemeanor; and
- Reckless Driving, an Unclassified misdemeanor.
Justice Pilewski placed Wilson on supervised release and suspended his driving privileges during the pendency of the case. Wilson is due back in court on June 26, 2024, and he is being represented by Steve Politi, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney James McCormack of the Vehicular Crime Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective William Berry of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Third Squad.
Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.