Suffolk County district attorney Timothy D. Sini announced the guilty plea of a Shirley man for driving while intoxicated and killing a woman in a motor vehicle crash.
Chris D. Montpetit, 36, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, a class B felony; aggravated driving while intoxicated, an unclassified misdemeanor; and reckless driving, an unclassified misdemeanor. Pursuant to the plea agreement, he is expected to be sentenced to five and two-thirds to 17 years in prison.
“The victim’s loved ones, including her three young daughters, have endured an unimaginable tragedy because of this defendant’s decision to drive drunk,” Sini said. “While nothing can undo the pain he has caused, today’s guilty plea holds him accountable for his actions.”
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 is scheduled to be sentenced by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice John Collins on Aug. 2. He is being represented by Michael Brown.
This case is being prosecuted by assistant district attorney Daniel Cronin, of the Vehicular Crime Bureau.
