Drunk, high driver who killed 9-year-old in 119-mph crash sentenced
A Brooklyn man who was drunk, high and driving at speeds of up to 119 miles per hour when he crashed into the back of a car, killing a 9-year-old boy, will serve up to 13.5 years in prison, officials said.
Travis Dickson was driving his 2018 BMW 540i west on the Long Island Expressway in Farmingville around 1:49 a.m. on Aug. 22 when he hit the back of a 2019 Toyota Corolla, making no attempt to stop, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a news release.
The boy, Angel Salas of Deer Park, was in a booster seat in the back of the car while his dad drove.
Angel was critically injured, officials said.
“As this case clearly illustrates, drunk and drug-impaired drivers are a danger to our communities and often times cause collisions which turn fatal for innocent victims,” Tierney said.
“A child lost their life because of the selfish actions of the defendant. I hope that this prison sentence brings some small degree of solace to the victim’s family who are undoubtedly still grieving his loss.”
Dickson, 32, pleaded guilty in February and was sentenced Friday.
The child was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital but was declared brain dead two days later.
He was eventually removed from life support and his organs were donated to others, officials said.
Dickson exhibited signs of intoxication after the crash, admitted to smoking pot and had marijuana on him, cops said.
His blood was drawn about three hours after the crash and revealed an alcohol level of .14%, officials said.
The legal limit for driving is .08%.
Dickson, who was also driving with a revoked license, pleaded guilty to the top charges of manslaughter in the second degree and vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, officials said.
