A Laurelton man has pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges for allegedly causing a high-speed crash that resulted in three deaths.
On November 5, 2022, at about 8:56 p.m., 18-year-old Ciara Hare was driving a 2004 Honda Civic headed east on the Southern State Parkway near Exit 32 while 18-year-old Florence Oprisan and 22-year-old Jean Marc Miller were passengers in the car. At about the same time, Matthew Whyte, 29, was speeding and swerving in and out of lanes on the Southern State Parkway in a 2012 Subaru WRX in the same direction near the exit while under the influence of marijuana. Another unidentified vehicle was also speeding and appeared to be racing Whyte.
Whyte hit Hare’s vehicle, which sent the vehicle off the road and into the traffic camera pole on the right shoulder of the parkway. Whyte’s car also veered off the road, overturned, and landed in the wooden shoulder of the parkway nearby. The third unidentified car was not hit and drove away.
Both vehicles were heavily damaged in the collision. Whyte sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was brought to Good Samaritan Hospital.
Hare suffered extensive injuries and was stuck in the driver’s seat of her car. She was pronounced dead at the scene at about 9:20 p.m.
Miller was ejected from the car and suffered extensive injuries. He succumbed to his wounds on November 11, 2022, at about 2:46 a.m., at Nassau University Medical Center.
Oprisan was partially ejected from the vehicle and suffered extensive injuries. She was brought to Nassau University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead on November 11, 2022, at about 2:59 a.m.
On February 20, 2025, Whyte pleaded guilty before Judge Christopher Quinn to aggravated vehicular homicide, a Class B felony; three counts of second-degree manslaughter, all Class C felonies; one count of second-degree assault, a Class D felony; and driving while ability impaired by drugs, an unclassified misdemeanor.
Whyte is expected to be sentenced between 4 to 14 years in jail on April 24, 2025. The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office recommends a sentence of 7 to 21 years in jail.
“This defendant’s guilty plea cannot undo the devastating tragedy that took place along the Southern State Parkway over two years ago,” said Nassau DA Anne Donnelly. “Driving at such a high rate of speed poses an immense risk to others who share the road. Doing so while under the influence of drugs is enormously irresponsible and can often result in deadly consequences. Our hearts go out to the families of Ciara, Florence, and Jean.”
According to the event data recorder from Whyte’s vehicle, Whyte was driving about 93 miles per hour five seconds before he hit Hare’s car. Blood taken from Whyte at the hospital showed 6.8 mcg/L of active marijuana about four hours after the collision.
On December 7, 2023, Whyte surrendered to the New York State Police.