Playford
KINGSTON – A Saugerties man was sentenced in Ulster County Court in Kingston on Thursday to four to 12 years in state prison after his guilty plea to vehicular manslaughter and reckless endangerment.
John Playford, 22, admitted that he caused the death of Jacob Sweeney, 22, after driving off the road on Route 32 in Saugerties after drinking beer and smoking marijuana.
Early on January 31, 2017 Playford was driving an SUV when he ran off the road and snapped a utility pole in half before hitting a snow bank, a small tree, a house, and overturned several times ejecting Sweeney.
The vehicle ended up overturned behind a rock wall some 350 feet from the point at which it left the road.
Playford was arrested on March 2 and indicted by an Ulster County grand jury. Blood tests revealed that Playford’s blood alcohol content was .18, more than twice the legal limit. His blood contained active marijuana metabolites indicative of recent usage.
