A Hauppauge man pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated, running a red light, and crashing into a vehicle being driven by a Nassau County Police Officer on her way to work, killing her and seriously injuring Smith’s passenger.
On January 31 at approximately 6:07 a.m., Matthew Smith and his passenger left Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel in Smith’s Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Before arriving at the casino, Smith was in Patchogue drinking alcohol.
While driving, Smith drove through a red light at approximately 70 miles per hour and struck Officer Patricia Espinosa’s vehicle, while she was driving to work. The posted speed limit on that road is 30 miles per hour.
Espinosa was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Smith’s passenger was also transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was treated for serious injuries, including pelvic and spinal fractures, and a severe head laceration.
A chemical test of Smith’s blood revealed that his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was .20, more than twice the legal limit. A bottle of Bacardi rum and a shot glass were also found inside Smith’s vehicle.
On June 11, 2026, Smith, 21, pleaded guilty to the following charges before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei:
- two counts of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Class B felonies
- one count of Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree, a Class C felony
- one count of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class C felony
- two counts of Aggravated Vehicular Assault, Class C felonies
- two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, Class D violent felonies
- one count of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class D felony
- one count of Vehicular Assault in the First Degree, a Class D felony
- one count of Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree, a Class E felony
- one count of Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, an Unclassified misdemeanor
- two counts of Driving While Intoxicated, unclassified misdemeanors
- one count of Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor
- one count of Reckless Driving, an Unclassified misdemeanor
- multiple traffic infractions
“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,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “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. 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 is due back in court on July 20, 2026, and is expected to be sentenced to 7⅓ to 22 years in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision. Additionally, Smith agreed to forfeit his truck as part of the plea.