Baldwin man sentenced in hit-and-run fatality

After pleading guilty in March to charges related to a fatal hit-and-run accident in Port Washington last August, a Baldwin man was given the maximum prison sentence, Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced last week.

Cosmin Florea, 34, was sentenced to the maximum sentence of two years, four months to seven years in prison. He pleaded guilty before Nassau County Court Judge Helene Gugerty two months ago to all of the charges he faced: second-degree vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, two counts of driving while intoxicated and driving while ability impaired by the combined use of alcohol and drugs.

Florea’s attorney, Michael DerGarabedian, told the Herald shortly after his client’s guilty plea that since it was a non-violent offense, his client can be imprisoned for a maximum of two-thirds of seven years — roughly five years. But at minimum, Florea will serve two years and four months in jail.

On Aug. 15 at 11:57 p.m., Florea was driving a 2010 Ford Fusion when he struck Mooney, of Lynbrook, who was walking across Main Street in Port Washington, west of South Bayles Avenue, Singas said.

Florea left the scene, and was later stopped in Queens by New York City Police officer Wayne Kaifler, who noticed that the vehicle’s windshield was damaged. He was arrested by the Port Washington Police Department, with the assistance of Detective James DePierro of the Nassau County Police Department, and later admitted to having been under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana, according to Singas. Florea initially claimed he had hit a deer, Singas said.

At the time of his guilty plea, Florea admitted having a .13 BAC and active marijuana in his blood more than three hours after the crash.

Mooney died from his injuries at North Shore University Hospital.

Singas also pushed for the State Legislature to increase the penalties to a maximum of five to 15 years for these cases “so the law doesn’t work to encourage drivers to leave.”