Wrong-Way Driver Who Killed a Mount Kisco Woman Pleads Guilty

CORRECTION: This article has been modified from its original version to reflect that one of the charges Tokson pleaded guilty to was second-degree vehicular assault, not second-degree vehicular manslaughter as originally sent in a press release from the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

BEDFORD, NY — The Armonk man who drove the wrong way on I-684 causing the death of a Mount Kisco woman entered a guilty plea to three charges Thursday.

Acting Westchester County District Attorney James A. McCarty said Zachary Tokson, 24, pleaded guilty to the following felony charges related to the death of Elena Lopez:

• Aggravated vehicular homicide
• Second-degree manslaughter
• Second-degree vehicular assault

Tokson was driving a white Lexus SUV December 13, 2015, around 5:49 a.m. northbound in the southbound lane of Interstate 684 in the Town of Bedford, police said.

At mile marker 16.8, Tokson collided head on with Lopez who was driving a gray Ford Focus station wagon, killing her instantly.

Tokson suffered a cut over his right eye. His female passenger ended up with broken ribs, a dislocated femur and lacerations to her liver and spleen. However, she survived the crash.

The police investigation found that Tokson had been drinking in a Brewster bar hours earlier.

He and his passenger left the bar, stopped for food and then proceeded south on I-684. They then stopped at the Bedford rest area to take a nap.

After waking, Tokson began driving the wrong way on I-684 for about 1.1 miles before the collision.

A search of his vehicle found a closed, empty bottle of whiskey and a mixed alcohol drink inside a closed soda bottle. Tokson had a blood-alcohol content in excess of 0.08 percent, police said.

Tokson remains out on bail and will be sentenced January 12, 2017.

He faces a maximum of eight-and-a-third to 25 years in state prison.

Photo caption: Zachary Tokson. Photo credit: Westchester County District Attorney's Office.