A Queens man has admitted he was behind the wheel in a high-speed, drug-impaired Southern State Parkway crash that killed two women and seriously injured another passenger, closing a major chapter in a case that rattled drivers across Long Island.
On Tuesday, 20-year-old Jaden D’Souza pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and related charges stemming from the January 12, 2025 wreck near Exit 30. Prosecutors say the crash left two women dead at the scene and another passenger badly hurt, and the plea now sends the case toward sentencing and a measure of legal closure for the families involved.
In court, D’Souza admitted he was high on marijuana and driving about 123 miles per hour in a 2016 Dodge Dart when he lost control, the car overturned and slammed into a tree. Investigators recovered multiple cannabis products at the scene, and a blood sample taken that night showed a high level of THC. D’Souza pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, assault and driving while impaired by drugs, and is due back in court May 8, according to News 12 Long Island.
Crash Scene And State Police Findings
New York State troopers say they responded just after 11 p.m. on January 12, 2025 to the eastbound Southern State Parkway near Exit 30, where the Dodge Dart had been weaving in and out of lanes before it went out of control and struck a tree. According to the New York State Police, rear-seat passengers Haily D’Souza, 21, and Crystal Alba-Figueroa, 23, were pronounced dead at the scene, while the front-seat passenger and the driver were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries.
Prosecutors say the force of the crash was so violent it dislodged a spare tire that hit another vehicle and injured that driver. State police also reported that officers recovered numerous THC-infused products at the scene.
Charges And Prosecution Timeline
After reviewing the event data recorder from the Dodge Dart and D’Souza’s blood-test results, prosecutors brought the case to a grand jury. D’Souza was indicted in April 2025 on a long list of charges, including aggravated vehicular homicide, first-degree vehicular manslaughter and multiple assault counts.
“Driving high is driving impaired. It is never a safe choice, and it can have catastrophic, heartbreaking consequences,” District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said in a press release announcing the indictment. The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office laid out the recovered evidence, injuries and speed findings in that earlier statement, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office.
What Comes Next
D’Souza’s guilty plea sets up a May 8 return date for sentencing, when a judge will decide how long he will serve in state prison. Prosecutors told News 12 Long Island they expect a sentence in the 7-to-18-year range.
The plea ends the criminal trial drama but leaves behind enduring questions about impaired driving and the toll it takes on passengers, families and everyone else sharing the road.
