Victim Was Out Celebrating a New Job Offer with Children and Step-grandchild
A Lindenhurst man was arraigned today on four counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and related charges for an August crash in East Massapequa in which he allegedly killed four members of a single family and injured two others.
Michael DeAngelo, 32, was arraigned today before Judge Robert Schwartz on:
- six counts of aggravated vehicular homicide (a B felony)
- five counts of first-degree vehicular manslaughter (a C felony)
- four counts of second-degree manslaughter (a C felony)
- aggravated vehicular assault (a C felony)
- five counts of second-degree assault (a D violent felony)
- four counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter (a D felony)
- first-degree vehicular assault (a D felony)
- second-degree vehicular assault (an E felony)
- driving while ability impaired by drugs as a felony (an E felony)
- driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of drugs as a felony (an E felony)
- third-degree assault (an A misdemeanor)
- reckless driving (an unclassified misdemeanor)
The defendant pleaded not guilty and was remanded. The case is due back in court on October 19. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 25 years in prison.
On August 6, at approximately 7:15 p.m., Huntley, 60, was stopped at a traffic light in his 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe on Sunrise Highway at Unqua Road in East Massapequa. DeAngelo, allegedly impaired by both fentanyl and cocaine, drove his 2023 Hyundai Kona directly into multiple vehicles stopped at the light. DeAngelo’s car struck another vehicle stopped at the stoplight and caused the Santa Fe to rear-end the vehicle ahead of it. Huntley’s vehicle was struck with such force that the SUV was pushed through the intersection and spun around so that it was facing oncoming traffic. DeAngelo’s vehicle went airborne and landed upside down.
According to the event data recorder inside the Kona, DeAngelo was driving approximately 120 miles per hour and did not brake until less than a half second before the impact. He struck Huntley’s car at approximately 95 miles per hour. Huntley, a Marine veteran, was celebrating a recent job offer and had taken five members of his family out for ice cream.
As a result of the crash, Patrice Huntley, his 10-year-old son Jeremiah Huntley, and his 13-year-old daughter Hannah Huntley were killed and pronounced deceased that same night. Huntley’s 18-year-old stepdaughter and six-year-old step-granddaughter, Chantel Solomon, suffered catastrophic injuries, while his 14-year-old son was also hurt in the crash. Chantel succumbed to her injuries six days later on August 12.
DeAngelo was observed to have signs of drug use, including track marks on his arm and hands. Needles and a pipe were discovered in and around his vehicle. He was transported to Nassau University Medical Center with injuries and was arrested by members of the Nassau County Police Department’s Homicide Squad in the hospital on August 11.
“Patrice Huntley and three children – members of the same family – were killed due to the extraordinarily reckless actions of a defendant who was allegedly driving 120 miles an hour while impaired by cocaine and fentanyl,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “No one was safe on Sunrise Highway that Sunday evening and tragically Patrice, Jeremiah, Hannah, and Chantel lost their lives while going to get ice cream. No family should ever have to bury four loved ones at the same time and my office will vigorously prosecute this case to ensure justice for Patrice’s family, friends, and community.”