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SMITHTOWN, LONG ISLAND – A former New York City firefighter was sentenced to prison Wednesday for a fatal wrong-way accident that occurred on Long Island, Smithtown Patch reports.
Joseph Norris of Babylon was ordered to serve five to 15 years in prison for the Nov. 20, 2020 crash on the Sunken Meadow State Parkway in Smithtown.
Prosecutors said Norris was driving his Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck south in the northbound lane of the parkway near exit SM3A at about 7:30 p.m. when he crashed into a Mazda CX7 SUV.
The Mazda driver, 44-year-old Anthony Mariano of Kings Park, was pronounced dead at the scene. Mariano was a social studies teacher at a high school in Queens. Norris lost both of his legs in the accident.
Prosecutors said Norris’ blood alcohol content was over three times the legal limit, and he allegedly drove drunk for nearly four miles while traveling in the wrong direction.
Norris pleaded guilty in May to charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter and aggravated DWI.
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