Crime Watch

Drunk driver who killed Franklin Square father sentenced

Valley Stream man gets 12 years in jail

Posted

A Valley Stream man has been sentenced to 12 years in jail for causing a violent crash that killed a Franklin Square father of three last year.

Brian Daly, 26, pleaded guilty in March to several counts, including manslaughter, after he drove drunk and slammed into a minivan being driven by 46-year-old Christopher DeCrescito, at the Franklin Square-North Valley Stream border.

The accident occurred on Feb. 27 at 9:15 p.m. Daly, driving a 2008 Lincoln southbound on Franklin Avenue, ran a red light at Corona Avenue — at an estimated 70 mph in a 30 mph zone, according to police — and broadsided DeCrescito’s 2003 Ford. DeCrescito was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

At his sentencing on Monday in Nassau County Court before Judge Angelo Delligatti, Daly heard powerful words from DeCrescito’s widow, Denise, who said the defendant’s time in jail will be relatively short compared to the life sentence he imposed on her family.

Denise DeCrescito, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, said that she spent three months in the hospital and rehab after the accident, as the stress from losing her husband caused her symptoms to worsen. She explained the difficulty of having to explain the death of their father to her children, Amanda, Sabrina and Nick. She mentioned how Nick used to ask if he could go to Daly’s house to ask, “Why did you kill my dad?”

Since his death, DeCrescito has missed his daughter’s confirmation, son’s communion, four birthdays and two Father’s Days. “He will not be there for any of their weddings, or to meet any of his grandchildren,” Denise DeCrescito said.

She said she reluctantly agreed to Daly’s plea bargain, to spare the family the pain of going through a trial. Delligatti said he accepted it with the same hesitation, for the same reasons.

“Mr. Daly, I hope you that you’ll have time to reflect on the horrible situation that you’ve created,” the judge told him.

Daly, who entered the courtroom with his family and sat with them in the audience until just before the sentencing began, was led away in handcuffs. Family members shouted out “good luck, Bri,” and he turned around and responded, “I love you.”

Page 1 / 3