Man pleads guilty to Vehicular Assault from head on crash seriously injuring one
Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy, III announced today that Terrence J. Rudes (DOB 7-22-91) of 9D Windy Hill Road, Ballston Lake NY, pleaded guilty to the crime of Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree, an E Felony, in violation of Penal Law Section 120.03 (1), in Saratoga County Court before Honorable Judge Jerry J. Scarano.
The conviction arose out of a car crash involving serious physical injury that occurred on Church Ave., in the Village of Ballston Spa, back on September, 17, 2012. Rudes was heading northbound when he crossed the double yellow line on Church Avenue and crashed head on into another vehicle in the southbound lane of travel causing serious physical injury to the driver in the vehicle he hit.
Ballston Spa Police responded to the crash scene and determined Rudes was operating under the combined influence of alcohol and LSD at the time. Assistant DA Patrick Campion handled the prosecution.
DA Murphy said “The defendant admitted in court that he was high on LSD and alcohol. Nothing describes his state of impairment better than what the police tell us he said as the scene.
“I thought I could time travel and drive through (the other car)… I wanted to see what would happen.”
DA Murphy went on to say, “Despite our best efforts to prevent these crimes from occurring and educate the public about the dangers of mixing alcohol and drugs and driving, we continue to see people driving while impaired and causing death and serious injury.”
The victim of the crash broke her hand and is improving and also continues rehabilitation to increase range of motion and flexibility.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 16, 2013 at 9:15am. The defendant is expected to be sentenced to a state prison term of up to 3 years.
James A. Murphy, III
Saratoga County District Attorney