Authorities say a night of drinking ended in tragedy for a Long Island Army veteran, and now a Farmingdale man is staring down a stack of felony charges. He was indicted by a grand jury this month on aggravated vehicular homicide, driving while intoxicated and related counts after a Dec. 26, 2025 snowstorm crash in Melville that critically injured a 63-year-old man who later died. The Queens District Attorney’s office has been tapped as special prosecutor in the Suffolk County case.
A Farmingdale man was indicted by a grand jury on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, driving while intoxicated and other crimes for a December 26, 2025 collision during a snowstorm that seriously injured a 63-year-old man who later died. The Queens DA’s office was named special prosecutor for the case.
— Queens DA Katz (@QueensDAKatz) March 17, 2026
Crash Details and the Victim
According to the Suffolk County Police Department, the collision happened around 10 p.m. on Dec. 26 at the intersection of Pinelawn Road and Express Drive South in Melville. Investigators say a vehicle traveling north on Pinelawn Road struck a southbound Toyota Tacoma that was attempting to make a left turn.
The Tacoma’s driver was later identified as 63-year-old Nelson Gonzalez of Brentwood. Police said Gonzalez suffered severe trauma and was hospitalized after the crash, and authorities later confirmed he died from his injuries.
Prosecutors Lay Out Charges and Evidence
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a grand jury returned an 11-count indictment charging 59-year-old John Ankelman of Farmingdale with two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide, aggravated DWI, two counts of DWI, reckless driving, operating with license restrictions and two counts of speeding, among other charges, according to the Queens District Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors allege Ankelman had spent hours drinking at the Changing Times Pub on Melville Road before getting behind the wheel. A court-ordered blood test later showed a blood-alcohol content of 0.18, more than twice the legal limit, according to the same release. Katz called Gonzalez’s death a “senseless loss.”
Defense Response and Local Coverage
Ankelman’s attorney, Steven Politi, told Greater Long Island that he had not yet received a copy of the indictment and disputes an allegation that his client has a prior DWI conviction. Local reporting also noted that the Queens DA’s office was appointed special prosecutor after a conflict arose within the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
Legal Status and What Comes Next
The Queens District Attorney's Office said Ankelman has been arraigned on the indictment, and Suffolk Supreme Court Justice John Collins ordered him to return to court on April 20. If convicted on the aggravated vehicular homicide counts, Ankelman faces up to 25 years in prison. The case is being prosecuted by assistant district attorneys from the Queens office’s Vehicular Homicide Unit.
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