Woman Pleads Guilty To Killing Pedestrian While Drunken Driving On Long Island: SCDA

COPIAGUE, NY — A woman pleaded guilty to first-degree vehicular manslaughter after prosecutors said she drunkenly hit a pedestrian with her car last year in Copiague, killing him, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced Tuesday.

Annmarie Donadeo, 51, of Copiague, faces 4 to 12 years in prison. She is due back in court for sentencing on Feb. 15, 2023.

Donadeo was driving a 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer on Hawkins Boulevard in Copiague after drinking for approximately 4-and-a-half hours at a local bar at around 9:10 p.m. Aug. 24, 2021, according to court documents.

She drove southbound on the roadway as Travis Kinard was getting Legos out of the back of a parked minivan that was in front of his girlfriend’s house, officials said. Kinard was between the minivan and a parked Hyundai Elantra when Donadeo struck the Elantra, causing Kinard to be pinned between the two parked cars, authorities said. Donadeo kept driving until her Chevrolet became disabled, prosecutors said.

Kinard died a short time later at a nearby hospital because of the injuries he suffered in the collision. He was 28.

“This tragedy could have been avoided if the defendant didn’t drive drunk, period,” Tierney said. “Instead, she chose to endanger Suffolk County residents through her selfish and senseless conduct and in the process caused the death of an innocent individual who was simply retrieving items from a parked vehicle.”

When police interviewed Donadeo, she showed signs of intoxication and admitted to drinking alcohol, police said. She also performed poorly on field sobriety tests, prosecutors said.

Tests revealed Donadeo had a 0.21 percent blood alcohol concentration the night of Kinard's death. Her BAC was twice the legal limit.

Donadeo also pleaded guilty to aggravated driving while intoxicated. She was represented by Vincent Grande, Esq.

With reporting from Peggy Spellman Hoey.