Long Island man was impaired by drugs when he crashed into vehicle, killing 4 family members: DA
MINEOLA, N.Y. (PIX11) – A Long Island man was allegedly speeding while impaired by drugs when he crashed into a vehicle and killed four members of the same family in August, according to the Nassau County district attorney.
Michael DeAngelo, 32, of Lindenhurst, was arraigned Wednesday on four counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges in connection to the deadly crash in East Massapequa on Aug. 6. DeAngelo pleaded not guilty to the charges.
One of the victims, 60-year-old Patrice Huntley, was out celebrating a recent job offer and had taken five members of his family out for ice cream, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. Huntley's vehicle was stopped at a traffic light on Sunrise Highway at Unqua Road when it was struck by DeAngelo’s speeding vehicle, prosecutors said.
Huntley, his 10-year-old son Jeremiah Huntley, and his 13-year-old daughter Hannah Huntley died that night. Six-year-old Chantel Solomon, Huntley's step-granddaughter, died from her injuries several days later, authorities said. Two other family members were injured and survived.
"Patrice Huntley and three children – members of the same family – were killed due to the extraordinarily reckless actions of a defendant who was allegedly driving 120 miles an hour while impaired by cocaine and fentanyl," Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said in a statement. "No one was safe on Sunrise Highway that Sunday evening and tragically Patrice, Jeremiah, Hannah, and Chantel lost their lives while going to get ice cream. No family should ever have to bury four loved ones at the same time…"
DeAngelo faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. The case is due back in court on Oct. 19.
Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than five years. He has been with PIX11 News since 2022. See more of his work here.