A Kingston man was sentenced to 1-3 years in prison by Ulster County Judge Bryan Rounds Monday after authorities said he was driving impaired by heroin in Marlborough in 2019 when he hit another car head-on causing the driver of the other car to sustain serious injuries.
The Ulster County District Attorney’s office said in a press release that Jonathan Keefe, 28, pleaded guilty to the felonies of vehicular assault and driving while impaired by the combined influence of drugs back on March 20, 2021.
Authorities said Keefe was arrested on September 26, 2019, and was charged with driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of drugs, a felony after he told police he used heroin before he got in his car and crossed the double yellow line on U.S. Route 9W and crashed into another car head-on.
Police said a blood draw determined that he had fentanyl in his system along with a metabolite of cocaine. He was additionally charged with vehicular assault, a felony after a grand jury determined the other driver sustained serious physical injury as a result of Keefe’s impaired driving, the DA’s office said.
Authorities said Keefe had a previous conviction for driving while ability impaired by drugs in 2015. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Paul Derohannesian while Keefe was represented by attorney Thomas Petro.