A man from Brooklyn, who confessed to driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs at 119 mph on the Long Island Expressway, leading to a crash that killed a 9-year-old boy in 2022, has been sentenced to between 4½ and 13½ years in prison.
Travis Dickson, aged 32, entered a guilty plea in February for several offenses, including manslaughter. Authorities report that on August 22, 2022, he was driving with a suspended license while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana.
He failed to apply the brakes during the crash in Farmingville, striking the rear of a 2019 Toyota Corolla with his 2018 BMW 540i. Angel Salas, a 9-year-old boy, was in the back seat of the Corolla in a booster seat at the time of the incident, which transpired around 1:49 a.m.
The impact significantly damaged the Corolla. Both Angel and his father, who was operating the car, were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital. Angel was declared brain dead two days later and was taken off life support. His liver and kidneys were donated, helping three people.
Angel’s mother, Juliana Salas, fondly remembered her son as a joyous, caring, and friendly child over the weekend. She expressed her sorrow over missing the chance to see the amazing man Angel could have become and stated that she trusts God to deliver justice.
The prosecution reported that Dickson’s blood alcohol content was 0.14, exceeding the legal limit of 0.08, three hours following the crash. Marijuana was found on him and he admitted to consuming it prior to the incident.
Dickson pleaded guilty to several charges including second-degree manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, second-degree assault, misdemeanor assault, driving under impairment of alcohol and drugs, reckless driving, and aggravated unauthorized operation of a motor vehicle.
The District Attorney Ray Tierney commented on the case, highlighting the danger that drunk and drug-impaired drivers pose to society, often leading to fatalities for innocent victims. He expressed hope that the prison sentence provides some comfort to Angel’s grieving family.
Douglas Rankin, Dickson’s lawyer, could not be reached immediately for comment. According to another attorney who represented him in the same year as the incident, Dickson, also a father, was extremely affected by Angel’s death.
Read more – Source