A Far Rockaway man was sentenced on Wednesday, Jan. 21, to up to 10 years in prison for a drunken, high-speed crash in Rockville Centre that killed his 23-year-old cousin, a passenger in his vehicle, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced.
Samuel Gutierrez Orozco was arraigned on April 16, 2025, on charges of manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, assault, and driving while intoxicated. He was sentenced to four to 10 years in prison.
The crash occurred on Sept. 17, 2023, when Orozco was speeding southbound on Peninsula Boulevard in Rockville Centre, Donnelly said. Orozco then crossed over the roadway’s grassy median and into the northbound lanes, crashing into a tree, she said.
A Nassau County Police medic who was driving along Peninsula Boulevard shortly after the crash was flagged down by another driver and responded to the collision, to find the passenger, Larry Josue Orozco Torrez, unresponsive, the DA said.
Orozco Torrez was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Donnelly.
After police officers removed Orozco from his car, he was transported to the hospital to be treated for injuries, and a sample of his blood showed a blood alcohol concentration of around .12%, approximately one hour after the crash, Donnelly said.
The sample also contained marijuana and cocaine, she said.
“Drunk and drugged drivers are a danger to everyone who shares the road with them – passengers and other drivers alike,” Donnelly said after the sentencing.
