POUGHKEEPSIE – It has been four years since Shawn and Patricia Wonderly of Poughkeepsie were killed when their car was struck by a man who ran a red light at the Eastbound Arterial and Worrall Avenue in the city.
Ryan Floryan pled guilty to two counts of manslaughter in the August 1, 2012 deaths of the couple, but because they were caused by one act, his sentence of 6 ½ to 13 years in state prison was the maximum allowed for one death.
Senator Susan Serino (R, Hyde Park) and Assemblyman Frank Skartados (D, Milton) have been fighting to pass legislation to make prison terms consecutive in multiple deaths instead of concurrent. Assemblyman Kieran Lalor (R, East Fishkill) is a co-sponsor of the bill. The Senate has passed the bill twice but the Assembly has taken no action on it, noted Serino.
“The Assembly has it stuck in the Codes Committee so it hasn’t come out to the floor and they are claiming because of double jeopardy and that is why they are not, but that doesn’t make any sense,” Serino said. “There are two deaths there. Clearly both husband and wife died. Yes, it was one accident but that is not justice.”
Skartados is in the majority Democratic Party in the Assembly, but the bill remains locked in committee.
Patricia Wonderly’s brother, Rich DeSantola, joined the lawmakers Monday near where the fatal accident occurred, calling for the law to be changed.
