(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Police today arrested a Manorville man for driving while intoxicated after he was involved in a motor vehicle crash that killed his passenger this morning.
William Christie was driving a 2002 Jeep when he apparently lost control of the vehicle as he exited eastbound Sunrise Highway at Exit 59 in Manorville at 3:26 a.m. The vehicle overturned and the passenger, Michael Demartino, 59, of Manorville, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.
Suffolk County Vehicular Crime Unit detectives arrested and charged Christie, 69, of Manorville, with Driving While Intoxicated. Christie was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information about this crash is asked to call the Vehicular Crime Unit at 631-852-6555 or Suffolk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
