Man Sentenced in Fatal 100 MPH Crash That Killed Mother of 4

LLOYD, NY — The Poughkeepsie man who was driving recklessly and intoxicated in Ulster County and caused a fatal crash last year found out his fate Tuesday in Ulster County Court. District Attorney D. Holley Carnright said Ryan Williams, 29, was sentenced to prison for 25 years to life for his conviction for second-degree murder, depraved indifference murder, according to a press release.

On July 1 2018, Williams was traveling in excess of 100 mph on Route 299 in the Town of Lloyd. He struck and killed Danielle Pecoraro, 39, of Lloyd while she was driving east in a Ford 150 pickup truck, police said.

Pecoraro's daughter — Mercedes Rosado — and a passenger in a vehicle following the pickup truck were seriously injured.

Shortly before the crash, police received a 911 call about a man driving a Porsche Cayenne in an erratic manner on Route 9W.

Town of Lloyd police pulled Williams over as he turned from 9W onto Route 299.

As the officer approached his car, Williams was seen throwing a glass object out of the driver's window and taking off at a high rate of speed, police said.

Traveling at speeds in excess of 120 mph at times, and passing vehicles on the right shoulder, Williams approached the South Street intersection where he lost control of his car, killing Pecoraro.

Authorities said the force of the impact literally tore the Porsche in half and crushed the pickup truck.

Williams' blood alcohol content at the time of the crash was 0.33 percent, police said.

The district attorney's office said his prior criminal history included being sentenced to jail three times for fleeing from a police officer, however his prior convictions were not allowed to be presented to the jury.

At sentencing, Rosado, who is the oldest of Pecoraro's four children, said to the court, "Someone was going to die that day … the community lost a gem of a woman but I lost my best friend. Why did I live and she die? I live everyday with the pain of losing my best friend."

Williams was convicted by a jury April 30 for second-degree murder, four counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, first-degree unlawful fleeing from a police officer, two counts of second-degree assault and first-degree aggravated operation of a motor vehicle, all felonies.

His lawyer did not call any witnesses at the trial. Williams did not testify on his own behalf, according to the DA's office.

Williams, who has not had a valid license to drive in the state since 2011, stated in papers filed with the court prior to sentencing that he did not intend to injure anyone, the DA's office said.

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