Suffolk Cop Involved in Fatal Wrong-Way Crash Drank 10 Pints of Beer, Margarita: DA

Prosecutors say a Suffolk County Police officer who faces charges after a fatal wrong-way crash on Sunrise Highway in September drank 10 pints of beer and a margarita at a bar before the accident, according to a report in Newsday.

Robert Scheuerer, 24, pleaded not guilty to the charges in court on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, Scheuerer was indicted in front of a grand jury and was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter after the crash that took the life of a 37-year-old man.

According to police, Scheuerer was driving his 2000 Nissan Pathfinder eastbound in the westbound lanes on Sunrise Highway when the SUV slammed into a 2016 Ford van just east of Route 231 in West Islip.

The van caught fire, and Brian J. Fusaro, of Bay Shore, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Scheuerer, who was off duty at the time, was seriously injured in the crash. He appeared in court in a wheelchair, missing part of his left leg, Newsday reports.

The DA has said Scheuerer's blood alcohol content was 0.17, more than two times the legal limit, after the crash.

He was initially only charged with reckless endangerment as authorities investigated.