DA: Queens Teen Sentenced for 2012 Southern State Crash that Killed 4 Friends

A 19-year old from Queens who was driving driving at high speeds while impaired when he crashed on the Southern State in 2012, killing four of his passengers, was sentenced Tuesday, authorities said.

Joseph Beer of South Richmond Hill was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison by Nassau County Court Judge David Sullivan, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s office. The October 2012 crash killed Neal Rajapa, 17, and Darian Ramnarine, Peter Kanhai, and Christopher Kahn, all 18.

In July, Beer pleaded guilty to the top count of the indictment against him, aggravated vehicular homicide, as well as operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs. Sullivan also found Beer guilty of operating a motor vehicle without a license. In that court appearance, Beer admitted to being impaired by marijuana at the time of the crash.

In court Tuesday, Beer said, “I will have to live with myself for the rest of my life, knowing I killed four young men who were like brothers,” according to Newsday.

District Attorney Kathleen Rice called the death of the four teens “violent and senseless.“

“Joseph Beer purposely smoked marijuana with the intent of driving and caused the deaths of the passengers who trusted him to get them home safely,” she said.

“The deaths of these four young men were It was not the road’s fault, and it was not the first time Joseph Beer had engaged in this unspeakably reckless behavior,” she added. “This sentence should be a clear message to everyone that if you are old enough to drive, you must be prepared to face the consequences of violent criminal behavior behind the wheel.”

Just before the crash, at about 3:35 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2012, Beer was driving a 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX STI in excess of 110 mph heading west on the Southern State Parkway in Malverne, the DA’s office said. He lost control of the car as he neared Exit 17N, skidding more than 200 feet across three lanes of traffic, ultimately hitting a tree. The car was torn in half.

The passengers were thrown from the car and killed. Beer, who had a learner’s permit, suffered minor injuries.

Defense attorney Todd Greenberg, who failed to convince the judge to sentence Beer as a youthful offender, which would have limited his sentence to a maximum of four years and sealed his conviction record, according to Newsday, said he plans to appeal.

“He understands his errors of that night, and he wants to urge other people not to do that,” Greenberg said.