Freeporter sentenced in crash death

Freeporter Jonathan Sobrane was sentenced to six to 18 years in prison for the fatal crash that left two of his passengers severely injured and killed 22-year-old Vito Errico on Southern State Parkway last April.

According to District Attorney Madeline Singas, Sobrane, 37, pleaded guilty to:

Aggravated vehicular homicide

Two counts of assault in the second degree

Operating a motor vehicle while impaired by combined use of drugs or of Alcohol and any Drug or Drugs as a Felony.

Sobrane’s toxicology tests revealed that he was under the influence of alcohol and heroin. He was travelling at least 90 mph, weaving across three lanes of traffic and driving in exit and entrance ramps to pass other drivers on the Southern State Parkway. Changing lanes, he cut off the back of a white Toyota Highlander going in the same direction.

The collision caused Sobrane’s car to spin off the road, hit trees and uproot a light pole. In his car, a 23-year-old woman in the passenger seat suffered massive lacerations to her head that left her skull exposed and a fractured femur. A 21-year-old male in the backseat sustained a broken arm and finger. And Errico was ejected from the backseat. Errico was later found with the light pole across his chest and died as a result of his injuries. Sobrane did not sustain injuries.

Errico’s father, Dino, of Oceanside, said in an earlier interview with the Herald, that he would never have closure, nor would his wife and three daughters. “There is no closure,” he said. “That was my baby, that was my son, that was my life.”

Vito was Dino’s only son and a new partner in his construction business at the time of his death. “You know what it’s like to go to work and he’s not there?” Dino said, adding that he has been unable to work for the past eight months because he is distraught.

“I just got him going,” Dino said. “He started learning how to do everything — tiles, sheetrock.”

Vito met Sobrane through his father’s business. Dino said he gave Sobrane odd jobs. In between, he said, Sobrane worked for a towing company, living in a loft above the business.

“I gave him a day here, a day there,” he said. A friend had introduced Sobrane to him.

“I took care of the guy,” Dino said, “and he took my son’s life. My son got killed for stupid reasons.”

Scott Brinton contributed to this story.