Riverhead Man Gets 8 Years for Fatal DWI Crash

A Riverhead man was sentenced Thursday to 2 ¾ to 8 ¼ years in prison after he admitted to driving drunk and causing a crash that killed a 36-year-old passenger last year.

Santiago Monzon-Archila, 40, had pleaded guilty in June at Suffolk County court to second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated.

“This victim’s life was cut short due to this defendant’s decisions, which evinced a total disregard  for the safety and wellbeing of his passenger and other motorists,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney. 

Prosecutors said Monzon-Archila was driving on Flanders Road when he lost control of the vehicle, crashed through two fences and hit a parked car before his vehicle went airborne and crashed into a house at 5 a.m. on December 17.

Monzon-Archila cut himself out of the vehicle, but his passenger, Edis Noe Hernandez Nunez, was ejected and later pronounced dead at the Peconic Bay Medical Center. 

The driver later admitted to drinking beer since 7 p.m. the night before, authorities said. Police said they found beer cans at the scene. His blood alcohol content was .13% an hour after the crash, according to investigators.