DA Reacts To Sentence Of Drunken Driver Who Killed Westchester Teen

YONKERS, NY — In a statement released on Thursday, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah expressed "disappointment" in the sentence given to a drunken driver and former Yonkers city employee responsible for the hit-and-run death of a Westchester teenager.

Thirty-six hours after a hit-and-run involving a 16-year-old victim, detectives successfully located the suspect, who was arrested hours after the teen died surrounded by family, according to the Yonkers Police Department.

Stephen Dolan, 47, was sentenced to one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half years in prison on Thursday.

"The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office has remained committed to seeking justice for CJ Hackett and his family," Rocah said in the statement released Thursday. "We consistently recommended to the Court that the defendant receive the maximum sentence under the law of two and one-third to seven years in state prison for the vehicular manslaughter of the 16-year-old Stepinac High School student. "

While the sentence handed down by the judge has been widely panned as too lenient, Rocah said there is some measure of justice for the teenager's loved ones.

"While we are disappointed that the Court’s promised sentence today will not reflect our recommendation, the defendant, Stephen Dolan, is going to prison," Rocah said. "Our thoughts remain with the Hackett family and the Yonkers and Stepinac communities."

SEE ALSO:

• Yonkers Hit-and-run Suspect To Be Arraigned In Death Of Teen: Police
• Yonkers City Worker Arraigned In Hit-And-Run Death Of Teen
• Services Set For Christopher Jack 'CJ' Hackett, 16, Of Yonkers