A Freeport man was sentenced to six to twelve years in prison today for a tragic crash in August 2023 that claimed the life of a six-year-old girl in West Hempstead. Jorge Bonilla Gutierrez, 19, was found to be more than twice the legal limit for blood alcohol content when he ran a red light and crashed into the victim’s vehicle on Hempstead Turnpike.
On August 7, 2023, at approximately 2:20 a.m., Bonilla Gutierrez was speeding and intoxicated when he collided with a Toyota Corolla that was stopped in the right lane with hazard lights on near Westminster Road. The force of the impact sent the Corolla off the roadway and into a tree, while Bonilla Gutierrez’s Nissan Pathfinder flipped multiple times. Six-year-old Katerine Vanegas Hernandez, a passenger in the Corolla, sustained significant internal injuries and died shortly after being taken to NYU Langone Long Island Hospital.
Katerine was set to celebrate her seventh birthday just two days after the crash. Her five-year-old brother suffered a fractured spine, and the driver of the Corolla sustained multiple broken ribs. Bonilla Gutierrez was apprehended at the scene with empty beer cans found inside and next to his vehicle. He was transported to Nassau University Medical Center for broken ribs and a broken nose.
A blood test taken one hour after the crash revealed Bonilla Gutierrez’s blood alcohol content to be 0.17%.
Bonilla Gutierrez pleaded guilty on June 5, 2024, to charges including Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, two counts of Assault in the Third Degree, and Driving While Intoxicated Per Se. He was sentenced to six to twelve years in prison today, with the Nassau County District Attorney recommending a sentence of six to fifteen years.
“Katerine Vanegas Hernandez was a bright light in her family, a best friend to her little brother, and a happy child excited to celebrate her seventh birthday in just two short days,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “This defendant, driving drunk and recklessly on Hempstead Turnpike, stole young Katerine’s life when he struck her mother’s car and tore apart this close and loving family.”
