Leo Flores-Gracias, 26, of Huntington Station, has been sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison for his involvement in a fatal drunk driving incident. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the sentencing after Flores-Gracias pleaded guilty to charges including Aggravated Vehicular Homicide.
“This defendant was under the influence of alcohol and made the choice to drive himself and his friends home from a party. That selfish disregard for the safety of others lead to the tragic death of his own friend, Marlon Nunez-Cuellar,” said District Attorney Tierney. “We hope that the sentence imposed today provides comfort to the victim’s family who have been dealing with the devastating impacts of this defendant’s actions and serves as a reminder not to jeopardize the lives of others by choosing to drive under the influence.”
The crash occurred on July 4, 2023, at approximately 8:06 p.m., when Flores-Gracias left a party with three passengers in his vehicle. He was driving northbound on Sweet Hollow Road in Huntington when he collided head-on with another car traveling southbound.
Court documents and admissions during his plea allocution revealed that Flores-Gracias was traveling at 72 mph just one second before impact on a road with a posted speed limit of 30 mph. His passenger, Marlon Nunez-Cuellar, 25, also from Huntington Station, died from injuries sustained in the crash after being transported to Plainview Hospital.
Upon arrival at the scene, police observed signs of intoxication in Flores-Gracias and arrested him. Toxicology tests showed his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was .14% shortly after arrest and .19% later when tested again at a hospital—both levels significantly above the legal limit. A search of his vehicle uncovered an open 12-pack of beer with one full bottle remaining.
Flores-Gracias pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024, before Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro to charges including:
- Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (Class B felony)
- Manslaughter in the Second Degree (Class C felony)
- Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated (Unclassified misdemeanor)
- Reckless Driving (Unclassified misdemeanor)
Justice Ambro sentenced him on September 30, 2024. Adaline Arvello represented Flores-Gracias.
Assistant District Attorneys James McCormack and Emma Henry from the Vehicular Crime Bureau prosecuted this case. Detective Valentin Rosado from Suffolk County Police Department’s Major Case Unit led the investigation.