MONTICELLO – James Greco, 52, of Franklin Lakes, NJ, pled guilty on Wednesday to felony vehicular manslaughter in Sullivan County Court. Greco had been indicted for a crash that claimed the life of Jose Daniel Roldan-Roldan on May 21, 2021.
Greco admitted to operating a pickup truck on Route 42 in the Town of Fallsburg on May 21, 2021, with oxycodone and fentanyl in his system, crossing a double yellow line, and crashing into a vehicle operated by Roldan-Roldan.
Emergency responders transported Roldan-Roldan to Garnett Catskills Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Greco was transported to and treated at Westchester Medical Center. The Fallsburg Police Department and the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office executed search warrants to obtain Greco’s blood and search his vehicle, securing evidence that resulted in Greco’s indictment.
Sullivan County District Attorney Meagan Galligan said “This victim was a hard-working man on his way to a job when the defendant’s decision to take pills and drive stole Jose from his loved ones.”
Absent a plea agreement, New York law provides that Greco could be sentenced to as little as a fine or probation for this offense. The plea agreement, according to Sullivan County DA Meagan Galligan, ensures that Greco pled guilty with the understanding that he is going to prison with a maximum term of no less than five years and up to six years.
Galligan used the plea agreement as a call for changes in state law. “While my office secured a top-count conviction and ensured that this defendant will go to prison for up to six years, this case demonstrates that statutes pertaining to vehicular deaths in our state are inadequate to address the losses suffered by innocent people at the hands of those who improperly operate motor vehicles. We continue to urge our legislature to give prosecutors the tools we need to take offenders who endanger everyone who lives, works and travels through our communities off the road.”
Sentencing is scheduled for September 8, 2022.
