Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini has announced the sentencing of a Shirley man to prison for driving while intoxicated and killing a woman in a motor vehicle crash.
“A woman was killed and her three young girls were left without a mother because of this defendant’s reckless decision to drive drunk,” District Attorney Sini said. “Anyone who gets behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is knowingly and willfully putting lives on the line. There’s just no excuse for it in this day and age, and my Office will continue to seek significant prison sentences for anyone who engages in this dangerous behavior.”
Christopher D. Montpetit, 37, pleaded guilty on May 20 to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, a class B felony; Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, an unclassified misdemeanor; and Reckless Driving, an unclassified misdemeanor. He was sentenced by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice John Collins to five and two-thirds to 17 years in prison.
At approximately 5:06 p.m. on Sept. 25, 2020, Montpetit was driving a 2018 Jeep Cherokee northbound on County Route 83 in Farmingville at a high rate of speed and rapidly changing lanes when he struck the rear of a 2015 Honda Civic, which had become disabled in the right lane and had its hazard lights engaged.
The occupants of the Honda, Erika Bautista, 31, of Farmingville, and her three daughters, were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious physical injuries. Erika Bautista succumbed to her injuries on Oct. 11.
Following the crash, Montpetit was arrested by Suffolk County Police officers and transported to the Sixth Precinct, where he refused to submit to a chemical test of his blood. The District Attorney’s Office secured a warrant for a chemical test of Montpetit’s blood, which revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.28 percent.
Montpetit was represented by Michael Brown.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Daniel Cronin, of the Vehicular Crime Bureau.