A Lindenhurst man pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other related charges for speeding, driving erratically, and crashing into the rear of another vehicle that resulted in the death of a West Babylon man and injuries to four others in September 2024.
On September 22, 2024, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Felix Pantaleon drove his car, a 2014 Honda Civic, westbound on the Southern State Parkway in North Babylon. The Event Data Recorder of the vehicle determined that, at the time, Pantaleon was traveling approximately 121 miles per hour. Pantaleon cut off other vehicles and weaved between lanes before he struck the rear of a 2009 Honda CR-V operated by Reynaldo Collado, 49.
The impact caused the two cars to veer off the roadway. The CR-V ultimately crashed into the woods next to the right-hand shoulder of the highway.
The Civic initially slammed into the median barrier before likewise careening off into the woods. Collado was pronounced dead at the scene. One passenger in the CR-V sustained serious injuries that included a fractured vertebra and pelvis, necessitating treatment at a rehabilitation facility. Three other occupants of the CR-V sustained various other injuries that required medical treatment at local hospitals. Before the crash, Pantaleon used his cellphone to record himself operating the car in this dangerous and deadly manner.
On September 4, 2026, Pantaleon, 24, pleaded guilty before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski to the following charges:
- one count of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class C felony
- one count of Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D felony
- three counts of Assault in the Third Degree, Class A misdemeanors
- one count of Reckless Driving, an Unclassified misdemeanor
“This defendant’s egregious actions killed another innocent driver,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Vehicles become lethal weapons in the hands of those who treat them like toys.”
Pantaleon is due back in court on October 23, 2026, and is expected to be sentenced to four to 12 years in prison.