Driver charged in fatal wrong-way crash on Hutchinson River Parkway had been drinking, on phone: court docs

The driver accused in the fatal wrong-way collision on the Hutchinson River Parkway in Westchester County was intoxicated and on his phone at the time of the crash, according to a criminal complaint.

Jose Ramon Espinal, 48, was arraigned in Rye Town Court on Monday on charges of second-degree manslaughter and driving while intoxicated over the deadly Sunday morning crash.

Espinal, from Bridgeport, allegedly struck and killed a motorcyclist while driving down the wrong lane in Rye Brook.

The victim’s motorcycle burst into flames upon impact. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Espinal, who was also injured, had to be removed from his car and taken to Westchester Medical Center. He was released on Sunday evening. 

The wrong-way driver limped his way into the courtroom on Monday, escorted by Westchester County police officers. He was in tears at the defense table and did not once look back at the victim’s relatives as they watched him from the gallery. 

Police are still waiting on a positive identity for the victim from the county medical examiner. The complaint named him as William Saleeby. 

Espinal’s legal aid lawyer Sydney Stanley entered a not-guilty plea for him to the misdemeanor DWI charge.

Juan Reyes, a friend and co-worker of Espinal’s who arrived late in support of his colleague, told lohud that he was not surprised to learn that Espinal had cried his way through his court appearance. 

“He’s a very nice person; a hard worker,” Reyes said. “This is horrible what happened.”

Espinal and Reyes both work at the New York Athletic Club in midtown Manhattan.

Reyes said that he left work on Saturday afternoon, but Espinal was scheduled through 10:30 p.m. Reyes was not sure what Espinal did after leaving work that night, or what led up to the crash just hours later. 

Sunday’s wrong-way collision was just the latest one in the New York metropolitan area over the past few weeks.

On Sept. 5, a Long Island mother was charged with her whopping 57th license suspension for a wrong-way collision that killed her 9-year-old in late August.

Two men were killed in Harlem on Aug. 24 after a pickup truck came barreling down the wrong side of the highway.