Sentence For Driver Who Killed Bicyclist On Route 52

A Kent resident who killed a bicyclist on Route 52 while he was driving drunk has been sentenced to prison. County Court Judge James Rooney sentenced Silvio Tenesaca Nov. 6 to an aggregate sentence of 2 1/3 to 7 years in state prison for causing the death of George Rosalino, Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced.

Tenesaca had pleaded guilty Aug. 2 to Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree and Driving While Intoxicated.

Tenesaca was driving on Route 52 in the town of Kent Nov. 27, 2018, when he rear-ended
George Rosalino, who was riding a bicycle. The force of the impact killed Rosalino instantly. Tenesaca did not stop.

He drove home, switched to a different car and returned to the scene, where he observed Mr. Rosalino and then drove to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Tendy said. Tenesaca was observed to be under the influence of alcohol and a breath test demonstrated that he had a .17 blood alcohol level.

Tenesaca was sentenced to concurrent terms of 2 1/3 to 7 years in state prison for Vehicular
Manslaughter in the Second Degree and 364 days in jail for Driving While Intoxicated, the maximum sentence available for each charge. In addition, he forfeited the vehicle he used in the crime.

“Driving while intoxicated is not a victimless crime,” Tendy said in the announcement. “It
can, and often does, produce horrible and tragic results. George Rosalino was a beloved son and
brother. He was a Navy veteran and a cancer survivor. The defendant chose to excessively drink
and then operate a motor vehicle that night and this was the consequence. My sincerest condolences go out to the Rosalino family.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Larry Glasser. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with assistance from the Kent Police Department.