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Matthew Sindone, 24, was originally charged with two counts of felony vehicular manslaughter in the deaths of Neil Block and his wife Aline Block of New City during the crash on June 4, police said.
“This case should be disturbing to any driver in Rockland County,” said Zugibe. “The defendant’s decision to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while impaired by drugs resulted in the deaths of two innocent people. Their family will never be whole again. Reckless behavior such as that exhibited by this defendant can neither be tolerated nor go unpunished.”
According to an investigation, Sindone was recklessly operating a Lincoln MKT, when he collided with a Toyota Camry after running through a red light at the intersection of Route 304 and Goebel Road in New City.
First responders pronounced Neil Block dead at the scene of the collision. Aline Block was declared dead after being extricated from the mangled Toyota.
The defendant suffered cuts to his head and was taken to Nyack Hospital, where Town of Clarkstown police officers recovered Xanax from his pocket, police said.
Sindone admitted to using Xanax and Klonopin in the hours before the fatal crash. A subsequent analysis of his blood revealed 1500 ng/mL of Xanax, an incredibly high amount indicative of the level of the defendant’s impairment at the time, said Zugibe.
He faces a sentence of a minimum of four years to a maximum of 12 years in state prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan.10, 2018.
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