Flanders Man Convicted of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide Sentenced to Prison

A Flanders man convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide last month after a three week trial was sentenced on Thursday to 12.5 to 25 years in state prison, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said.

Joseph Perez, 31, had a blood alcohol level almost three times the legal limit over three hours after mowing down newspaper delivery person Donna Sartori as she delivered papers in the Hampton Bays business district at 4:15 am on January 5, 2014, according to the DA.

During the trial, evidence was introduced that Perez had consumed a bottle of whiskey before bar-hopping with friends, ending up at “Club Dream” in Hampton Bays, according to the DA.

At closing time, Perez struck a car in the parking lot and left the scene, according to the DA.

The victim’s husband, Anthony Guggino addressed the court at sentencing, describing Perez as “an animal” who callously ignored his dying wife at the crash scene and instead called his mother and not 911 in the minutes after the collision.

The victim’s sister, Debra Fox of Saratoga Springs, said, “Donna was a healthy 56-year old woman that had a lot of life left to live. However, because of you Joseph Perez, and your reckless drinking and driving, my sister’s life was cut short.”

Citing the lengthy prison sentence, Fox said the fact remained that “someday you will be released from prison and will be reunited with your family”, telling the defendant that Sartori’s family will go on enduring “pain and sadness” during holidays and birthdays.