A boozed-up driver who arrogantly dangled his car keys at bar patrons begging him not to get behind the wheel pleaded guilty Thursday to a drunken crash that killed a beloved Long Island cop, authorities said.
Matthew Smith, 21, copped to aggravated vehicular homicide and a slew of other charges for speeding off and plowing into Nassau County Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, 42, after a night of binge drinking, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
“Patricia Espinosa, a wife and mother who dedicated her life to protecting others, was killed on her way to work, leaving her daughter without a mother, her husband without a wife, and a family without their beloved daughter and sister,” Suffolk DA Ray Tierney said in a statement.
Smith, who was 20 at the time, defiantly left the James Joyce bar in Patchogue blasted on Jan. 31 after a night of boozing that led bar patrons to beg him not to drive.
Smith and a passenger, John Andali, then met at a late-night taco spot across the street from the bar and struck up a quick friendship.
After leaving, they tried to drive to Jake’s 58 casino in his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, but learned it was closed, so the pair decided to head off, prosecutors detailed.
Smith, who had a blood alcohol content of .20% — more than twice the legal limit — then plowed through a red light at roughly 70 mph in a 30 mph zone, court documents said.
The bozo floored into Espinosa’s vehicle while she was on her way to work, causing her car to flip over leaving the cop hanging inverted inside the wreckage for more than 30 minutes as first responders desperately worked to free her.
Espinosa was rushed to Stony Brook Hospital, where she later died, authorities said.
Andali was also taken to the hospital with serious injuries, including pelvic and spinal fractures, plus a severe head laceration.
A bottle of Bacardi rum and a shot glass were found sprawled inside the Silverado.
“With today’s guilty plea, the defendant has admitted responsibility for causing her death, as well as for the injuries that he caused to his passenger,” Tierney said.
“While nothing will restore what the victims and their families and colleagues have lost, we hope that this plea provides them with some measure of justice.”
Smith previously pleaded guilty to over a dozen charges — he faces up to 22 years in prison, followed by three years of post-release supervision.
He will also have to forfeit his Chevy truck as part of his guilty plea, with his sentencing slated for June 20.
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