Abram Almahri, 21, of 16 Millbrook Terrace, New Paltz, entered a guilty plea to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide in Ulster County Court during a virtual proceeding on April 29.
During the plea, Almahri admitted to engaging in reckless driving while having a blood alcohol content of .18 or higher in the 2019 crash that claimed the life of 25-year-old Jade Randazzo of New Paltz and severely injured three others.
The charges stemmed from an incident on Henry W. DuBois Road on Friday night, March 29, 2019. A then nineteen-year-old Almahri drove a 2008 Volvo through several stop signs and rear-ended a car stopped at a stop sign. The speed and momentum caused Almahri’s car to continue into an embankment, which caused the car to overturn. Almahri had three other passengers in his vehicle. A 25-year-old backseat passenger, Jade Randazzo, was killed and two other passengers suffered severe injuries requiring numerous surgeries and hospitalizations, according to the district attorney’s office. The second driver, 42, who was struck from behind, suffered severe injuries to his back and arm requiring multiple surgeries and has not been able to return to work due to his injuries.
Police said Almahri’s blood-alcohol content was .21 approximately one hour after the crash. Collision reconstruction experts with the New York State Police determined that Almahri’s car was traveling at approximately 50 mph when it struck the rear of the second vehicle. The area of the crash was in a 30 mph speed zone.
Immediately after the guilty plea was entered, several members of the victims’ families spoke about the devastating impact this crime had on all of them.
Acting County Court Judge James Farrell sentenced Almahri to 4-12 years in state prison, a driver’s license revocation, a $2500 fine, and orders of protection for the victims.
Almahri was represented by Dutchess County Assistant Public Defender Brad White and the case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Gerard Van Loan.
