A Garnerville man who authorities say was driving with a suspended license, and left the scene of a fatal accident that killed a teenager last July may now serve one to three years in prison.
Patrick Sharkey, 35, was offered that sentence by a Rockland County Court judge on Tuesday, according to the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office. Online court records show the judge presiding over the case is Anne Bianchi.
Prosecutors say Sharkey was driving without a required interlock device when he
fatally struck 18-year-old Dariel Rivera on Route 303 in Central Nyack as the teen rode an e-scooter to work at FedEx.
Prosecutors say they’re recommending the maximum time behind bars which is 2 1/3 to seven years in prison.
Sharkey has pleaded
not-guilty and is out on $150,000 bond. He’s due back in court June 4.
The victim's father, Sam Rivera, says his family is deeply unhappy with the proposed sentence.
"We feel let down by this plea deal which doesn't justify the driver's negligence," says Rivera. "[We are] not sure why a stiffer plea was not offered or worse, why [there may not be] a fair trial with all the evidence against the driver."
Rivera says he is championing to have a law in his son's name passed to make a difference in the way vehicular crimes are prosecuted and prevent tragedies like what happened to his son.
"We miss him terribly," says Rivera.