Vernon, NJ Man Faces Manslaughter Charges for Fatal DWI Crash in NY
Man from Vernon Township Charged with Vehicular Manslaughter After Allegedly Causing Fatal DWI Accident in Upstate New York
A man from Vernon, New Jersey has been charged with causing a fatal DWI accident in upstate New York. The suspect is Christopher Perrella, a 32-year-old resident of Vernon Township in Sussex County, NJ. According to NY law enforcement officials, Perrella was highly intoxicated on both alcohol and marijuana when he drove his convertible on Glenwood Road in Pine Island, NY on November 4, 2017. Perrella then allegedly lost control of his car, which then flipped over before crashing into a house. Two passengers in the back seat of the car was tragically killed in the alleged DWI accident. The victims were 36-year-old Emily Carwile of Vernon, NJ and 30-year-old Jessie Dussault of Hopatcong, NJ. A front-seat passenger, 32-year-old Joseph Giordano of Knowlton, NJ, sustained serious injuries in the crash but survived after received medical treatment at a nearby hospital. Fortunately, the house that Perrella allegedly slammed into was unoccupied, so no one else was seriously injured in the crash.
After the single-car accident, Perrella was taken to a New York hospital so that he could receive medical treatment. While at the hospital, Perrella had his blood drawn by doctors. This is standard procedure in possible DWI cases in which the motorist is injured and treated at a medical facility. According to NY prosecutors, Perrella had a blood alcohol content of .16 percent, which is double the legal limit of 0.8 percent in both New York and New Jersey.
Criminal Charges for Vehicular Homicide in New Jersey
Perrella has been charged with numerous crimes and traffic offenses, including aggravated vehicular manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, and Driving Under the Influence (DUI). Moreover, a grand jury in Orange County, NY has already indicted him on the charges, which means that his case could eventually be heard by a jury at trial. These kinds of cases involving multiple felony charges are often plea bargained prior to trial, so that the defendant avoids maximum penalties if convicted by a jury and the prosecution avoids the chance that the defendant beats the charges entirely. In this case, the defendant, Perrella, faces years behind bars in a NY state prison if convicted on all of the charges.
Perrella is currently being held at a New York jail on $50,000 cash bail. He has a court appearance scheduled for June 14, at which time a judge could potentially reduce his bail amount and allow Perrella to go free while the criminal charges against him remain pending.
Contact an Experienced DWI Defense Attorney Today in Vernon Township, NJ
Have you been charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), Driving Under the Influence (DUI), or Breath Test Refusal in Vernon, New Jersey? Then you need an experienced Sussex County DWI defense lawyer on your side and helping you to fight the charges. Contact Sussex County DUI attorney Travis Tormey now to schedule a free initial consultation about your case.
