Enrique Lopez pleaded guilty on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, to manslaughter in the Hunts Point crash that killed two passengers in January 2024 and left a third gravely injured. The plea clears the way for a June 17, 2026 sentencing and finally gives grieving families a concrete outcome after months of tense court appearances.
Prosecutors say Lopez admitted in Bronx Supreme Court to two manslaughter counts and an assault charge for the injuries to the surviving passenger, and that he also waived his right to appeal, according to News 12 New York. He is scheduled to return to court on June 17, 2026, for sentencing.
Stunt Driving Turned Deadly
According to the Bronx District Attorney's indictment, the crash unfolded just after 3 a.m. on Jan. 21, 2024, at the intersection of Viele and Bryant avenues. Prosecutors say Lopez was behind the wheel of a Chrysler 300 that was doing stunt maneuvers when it crossed the double yellow line and slammed into a parked fuel oil truck. The DA's documents add that the car was outfitted with a stolen Hellcat engine and that Lopez was initially hit with multiple charges, including second degree manslaughter and criminal possession of stolen property, as outlined by the Bronx District Attorney's Office.
Victims And The Neighborhood Response
Among those killed were 15 year old Sabrina Villagomez Gonzalez of Nanuet and 21 year old Giovante Roberson of Brooklyn, who were rushed to Lincoln Hospital and pronounced dead, reporting by amNY says. Their deaths sparked vigils in Rockland County and fresh outrage over dangerous street culture that turns city intersections into late night stunt arenas.
The crash also reignited NYPD warnings about illegal street takeovers and stunt meets, which police say have been the focus of stepped up enforcement efforts, according to CBS New York.
Court Outcome And What's Next
At a 2024 wake for Villagomez Gonzalez, friends told News 12 New York the crash felt painfully avoidable and urged others to think twice before getting into a car in similar situations. "She was a minor and maybe it could have been prevented now we can share awareness," one mourner said.
With Lopez now admitting guilt to two manslaughter counts and an assault charge, the legal fight moves into its final phase, when the sentencing judge will decide how to weigh the devastation left behind against the conduct described in court.
Why This Matters
Prosecutors and police have repeatedly pointed to this wreck as a stark reminder of how quickly illegal car meets and stunt driving can turn fatal, since they draw crowds and reward risk taking behavior, problems the NYPD says it is working to rein in, according to CBS New York. With the plea now on the record, attention is shifting to whether the June sentencing will feel to families like a measure of justice that matches the loss of two young lives and the trauma left on a third.
