Reckless, Drunk Teen Driver Sentenced In Fatal 2021 Suffern Crash

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Joseph DeBellis, the Airmont teen whose drunken reckless driving killed a classmate and seriously injured other passengers, has been sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation over the objection of Rockland County prosecutors.

At 2:50 am on April 24, 2021, DeBellis was driving about 70 mph in a 45 mph zone on Route 202 in Montebello when he lost control of the car and crashed into a utility pole. He was drunk and high, prosecutors said. He had a junior license. There were four passengers.

Jacqueline Zangrilli, 16, was pronounced dead at the scene and the others were transported to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

DeBellis, now 18, rejected an offer that would have had him plead guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide with an agreed-upon sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison. Instead he pleaded guilty in November to all 17 counts, which allowed the judge to sentence him to less jail time over the prosecution's objection, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh said in an announcement.

“No parent should ever have to bury their own child. Drinking while driving is an egregious offense that is easily preventable," Walsh said, adding that the community must must use tragic events like this one as learning lessons for teens, that your actions and decisions have real consequences. "My heartfelt sympathies go out to the Suffern community and the families impacted by this tragedy."

According to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles, rules for a junior license limit driving between 9 p.m. and 5 p.m. only for job or class or only under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian or driving instructor.

For driving at night, New York law also requires:

• the person who supervises your driving be at least age 21 and have a license valid for the vehicle you are driving
• the only passenger in the front seat be your supervising driver
• there be no more than one passenger under age 21 unless the passengers are members of your immediate family. You can have more than one passenger under age 21 only if your supervising driver is your licensed parent, guardian, person in a position of "in loco parentis," driver education teacher or driving school instructor

DeBellis pled guilty to: aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, manslaughter in the second degree, four (4) counts of assault in the second degree, vehicular assault in the first degree, four (4) counts of vehicular assault in the second degree, two (2) counts of driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired by drugs, driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of drugs and alcohol, and reckless driving.

He was sentenced Tuesday by Judge Sherri Eisenpress.

Supervising Assistant District Attorney Stefanie Schera and Executive Assistant District Attorney Michael Dugandzic prosecuted the case.