LI Man From El Salvador Pleads Guilty In Fatal DWI Crash: DA

"Every person who drinks and drives takes the same gamble that this defendant took." - Suffolk DA

By Peggy Spellman Hoey, Patch Staff

Oct 19, 2026 11:32 AM EDT

A citizen of El Salvador living in Medford, has pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and related charges for a drunken-driving crash that killed his 22-year-old passenger, Suffolk DA Ray Tierney said Monday. (Suffolk District Attorney)

RIVERSIDE, NY — A citizen of El Salvador living in Medford, has pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and related charges for a drunken-driving crash that killed his
22-year-old passenger, Suffolk DA Ray Tierney said Monday.

Jefry Valdez Cruz additionally pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, second-and third-degree assault, as well as vehicular assault. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of driving while intoxicated, and reckless driving.

Valdez Cruz is due back in court on December 2, 2026. He is expected to be sentenced to four to
12 years in prison.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer to take custody of Valdez Cruz upon the completion of his sentence.

Patch has reached out to his client, Vincent Bianco of Westbury, for comment.

Tierney said, "Every person who drinks and drives takes the same gamble that this defendant took."

"Unfortunately, as we see far too often, a young passenger paid for that gamble with his life," he said. "My office remains committed to holding impaired drivers accountable."

On Oct. 6, 2025, Valdez Cruz, 26, and three others left a barbecue where he had been drinking alcohol, and at around 3 a.m., he was speeding in his BMW southbound on Bellport Avenue, when he crossed into the northbound lane and struck trees on the opposite side of the road, prosecutors said.

Edgar Guevara Ramos was ejected from the vehicle upon impact and pronounced dead at the scene, and two
other passengers were taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, according to prosecutors.

One of them sustained serious physical injuries in the crash, prosecutors said.

Data from the BMW's event data recorder showed Valdez Cruz driving at 117 mph in a 30-mph zone around three seconds before the crash, according to prosecutors.

His blood drawn at the hospital around one hour after the crash showed a blood alcohol content of 0.14 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent, prosecutors said.