Yonkers Man Says He's Guilty of Causing Crash That Killed NYPD Detective

The man who drove the wrong way on the Sprain Parkway, killing a New York City police detective, pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter and other charges.

Efren Moreano, 21, of Yonkers was driving a Honda Civic sedan around 3:52 a.m. February 27, 2015, when he went north onto the southbound Jackson Avenue exit of the Sprain Brook Parkway in Greenburgh, said acting Westchester County District Attorney James A. McCarty.

Moreano drove about 2 miles in the wrong direction, forcing numerous vehicles off the road.

About the same time, Detective Paul Duncan, was on his way to work at a police precinct in Queens and entered the parkway from the Route 100-B entrance heading south.

Duncan, 46, was working for the Internal Affairs Bureau and was a 17-year veteran, according to the New York Post.

McCarty said Duncan was 2 miles into his commute when he was struck by Moreano’s car.

Duncan was killed instantly.

Moreano was severely injured and had to be extricated from his car.

While being removed from the car, emergency responders said they noticed a strong smell of alcohol and marijuana coming from Moreano.

A New York State Trooper said he saw a bag of marijuana on the passenger side of the car.

The accident investigation found that Moreano was driving about 105 mph at the time of the collision.

Toxicology results showed he had a blood alcohol level of 0.16 percent and marijuana in his system at the time of the accident.

Moreano pleaded guilty to felony second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter and first-degree reckless endangerment charges.

He faces a maximum of 18 years in prison, according to the Journal News.

Moreano is scheduled to be sentenced June 1 and he remains in jail.

For the original article on the crash from the New York Post, go here. For the Journal News article, go here.