Queens man pleads guilty in 2012 car crash

Inwood girl one of four teens killed

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Convicted in June of lesser charges, Joseph Beer pleaded guilty on July 29 to aggravated vehicular homicide for the high-speed crash that killed four teenagers, including an Inwood girl on the Southern State Parkway in October 2012.

Beer, now 19, of South Richmond Hill, Queens, admitted to being high on marijuana while driving his turbocharged 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX STI in excess of 100 mph heading west on the parkway through Malverne at 3:35 a.m. on Oct. 18.

His friends, Darian Ramnarine, of Inwood, Peter Kanhai, of South Ozone Park and Christopher Kahn, of Ozone Park, all 18, along with Neal Rajapa, 17, of South Ozone Park, were all thrown from the vehicle and died from their injuries.

Beer, who only had a learner’s permit, suffered minor injuries, Two different blood tests detected marijuana in his system.

On Tuesday, he also pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs (unclassified misdemeanor). Nassau County Court Judge David Sullivan also found him guilty of operating a motor vehicle without a license (a violation).

During a trial in June also presided by Judge Sullivan, Beer was convicted of four counts of manslaughter second degree ( a C felony) and reckless driving (an unclassified misdemeanor). At that time, the jury was unable to reach an unanimous verdict on aggravated vehicular homicide and due to that did not consider its lesser included charges.

“For the families of the four teenagers killed in this horrific crash, there will be no end to the pain and sorrow felt for the young lives that ended much to soon,” said County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. “Today’s plea ensures that justice will be served, while sparing these grieving families the heavy emotional toll of a second trial.”

Beer is scheduled to be back in court on Aug. 26.