A Far Rockaway man was indicted for manslaughter, driving while intoxicated, and other charges for drunken, high-speed crash in Rockville Centre that killed the 23-year-old passenger in his vehicle.
On September 17, 2023, at approximately 10:34 p.m., Samuel Gutierrez Orozco was allegedly driving southbound on Peninsula Boulevard in Rockville Centre at a high rate of speed when he allegedly crossed over the roadway’s grassy median and into the northbound lanes and crashed into a tree.
A Nassau County Police medic who was driving along Peninsula Boulevard shortly after the crash was flagged down by another motorist and responded to the crash. The medic observed the passenger, Larry Josue Orozco Torrez, unresponsive.
Orozco Torrez was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 10:52 p.m.
Additional NCPD officers arrived at the scene and removed the defendant from his vehicle. The defendant was transported to NYU Langone Long Island Hospital and treated for his injuries.
A search warrant for the defendant’s blood revealed that his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was approximately .12% about one hour after the crash. The sample also contained marijuana and cocaine.
The defendant was arrested on April 15, 2025, by members of the Nassau County Police Department.
Samuel Gutierrez Orozco, 25, was arraigned on April 16 before Judge Joy Watson on grand jury indictment charges of Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a Class C felony); Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a Class D felony); Assault in the Second Degree (a Class D violent felony); Driving While Intoxicated, Per Se (an unclassified misdemeanor); Driving While Intoxicated (an unclassified misdemeanor); and Driving While Ability Impaired by Combined Use of Alcohol and Drugs (an unclassified misdemeanor).
The defendant was remanded and is due back in court on April 21, 2025. If convicted, he faces up to seven to 15 years in prison.
“The death of Larry Josue Orozco Torrez was completely preventable,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Due to the alleged poor decisions by this defendant, a family is now without a loved one. My office will continue to prosecute individuals who recklessly put the lives of others at risk on Nassau County roads by choosing to drive while impaired.”