The Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office announced today that Everhett R. Hatlee (DOB 09/16/2005), of 768 7th Avenue, Troy, New York 12182, was sentenced Friday afternoon in Saratoga County Court to a term of incarceration in State Prison for five (5) to fifteen (15) years following his conviction for Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, as a Class “B” Felony in violation of section 125.14(5) of the Penal Law, before the Hon. James R. Davis, Saratoga County Court Judge.
On June 13, 2025, Everhett Hatlee pleaded guilty and admitted in Court his actions on the early evening of June 29, 2024, when he recklessly operated his motor vehicle while impaired by cannabis along Fonda Road in Waterford and in so doing caused the death of his 14-year-old female passenger and serious physical injury to his 16-year-old male passenger. On that night, Defendant Hatlee was travelling at an incredibly high rate of speed southbound on Fonda Road when he lost control of his vehicle, causing it to leave the roadway and become airborne. The force of the crash catapulted Defendant Hatlee’s vehicle from the roadway where it flipped and spun through the night air, ferociously colliding with the ground multiple times and smashing through several utility poles, causing the poles to break in half, before coming to a rest a significant distance down the roadway. The horrific force of the crash and subsequent collision with the utility poles caused serious physical injuries to his 16-year-old male passenger and tragically took the life of his 14-year-old female passenger, who was ejected from the vehicle and died on scene from her injuries. The 16-year-old male and 14-year-old female were siblings and unrelated to Defendant Hatlee, who was not injured in the crash.
The subsequent investigation revealed that Defendant Hatlee had spent the hours leading up to (and even in the seconds before) the crash smoking cannabis, and a subsequent test of his blood revealed him to have been significantly impaired by that drug (cannabis) at the time of the crash.
At sentencing, the Court heard an incredibly emotional impact statement from Cherie Ebert, the mother of the two (2) victims, and who spoke of living “every parent’s worst fear” in learning that her daughter had been killed and her son traumatically injured. Ms. Ebert expressed how her “world was ripped apart” as she learned her youngest daughter was gone, and her youngest son seriously injured. Ms. Ebert told of her daughter being the “one you wanted to be around” and that she was her family’s “sunshine,” but now that light has gone out. Ms. Ebert heartbreakingly detailed all the memories that will never be made with her daughter, including such milestones as going to prom, graduating and getting married, and even those daily moments of sharing a meal, or celebrating birthdays or holidays, and asked Defendant Hatlee to think about each of those as a result of his actions on June 29, 2024.
In speaking on today’s sentence, Vehicular Crimes Bureau Chief Matthew R. Coseo commended the strength of the Ebert family, and specifically Cherie Ebert for her incredibly powerful statement. “No parent should ever have to suffer the loss of a child, let alone because of someone’s criminal choice to speed and drive recklessly, all while impaired by cannabis. There is simply no excuse for this crime, where it claimed the life of an innocent child and seriously injured another and has directly affected so many lives, families and communities.” Bureau Chief Coseo noted that while the DA’s office was grateful to assist in bringing the Ebert family some element of justice and closure, this case nevertheless shows the incredibly tragic consequences that come from this senseless and completely unnecessary crime.
Bureau Chief Coseo also recognized the efforts of Assistant District Attorney Robert V. Conklin, Investigator Mark Sauter and Crime Victim Specialist Mollie Benware. Bureau Chief Coseo likewise recognized the efforts of the Waterford Police Department and Officer Matthew Gibbins, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department and Investigator Hallenbeck, Lieutenant Welch and Sergeant Guida, the New York State Park Police and Sergeant Christopher Greene, as well as the New York State Police and New York State Police Lab. “This result would not have been possible without the assistance of and collaboration with our law enforcement colleagues across the different agencies, and our Saratoga County community is fortunate to have such dedicated professionals standing at the ready all times day and night.”