A Lindenhurst man was sentenced Monday to seven to 15 years in prison for a 2025 drunk-driving crash that killed 55-year-old Craig White as he drove home from work in Freeport. Judge Caryn Fink handed down the sentence to 24-year-old Bryan Mizhirumbay during an emotional courtroom hearing attended by family members from both sides.
Prosecutors said Mizhirumbay was driving more than 100 mph when he ran a red light and struck White's vehicle, according to News12 Long Island. The Nassau County District Attorney's Office, in its own account of the crash, said Mizhirumbay was traveling at an excessive rate of speed, as high as 106 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone, while News12's reporting attributes to prosecutor Anne Donnelly a description of the same 106 mph speed occurring in a 30-mph zone. The two accounts do not agree on the posted limit, and Hoodline could not independently resolve the discrepancy.
White was driving home from his job at AHRC Nassau in Freeport when the crash occurred, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. The DA's office says Mizhirumbay failed to stop for a red light at the intersection and slammed into the driver's side of White's vehicle. White's car crashed through a fence and caught fire near South Long Beach Avenue, per prosecutors, while Mizhirumbay's vehicle came to rest on the westbound shoulder and became engulfed in flames, the DA's office said. White was transported to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
Blood Alcohol Level and Timing of the Crash
Prosecutors said Mizhirumbay had a blood alcohol concentration more than twice the legal limit. The DA's office specified that a hospital blood draw showed a .18% concentration approximately one hour after the crash. The DA's office placed the crash at approximately 11:07 p.m. on Sept. 3, 2025, while Newsday, in its initial report on the collision, put the time at around 11:09 p.m. and noted that a second driver was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Mizhirumbay pleaded guilty to four offenses: aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, and aggravated driving while intoxicated, according to the DA's office. Reporting on the exact date of that plea conflicts across outlets, with one account referencing Aug. 12, 2025, and another citing Aug. 12, 2026; Hoodline was unable to confirm which year is accurate. Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of seven to 18 years, though the DA's office indicated Mizhirumbay was expected to receive seven to 15 years, the term ultimately imposed by Judge Fink.
Prosecutor and Attorney Speak After Sentencing
Donnelly said drinking and driving cannot be tolerated, according to News12's reporting. She added that White cared for people in his community and lost his life because Mizhirumbay did not call a cab or a rideshare. Defense attorney Steven Gaitman said Mizhirumbay admitted during his plea and privately to him and law enforcement that he had an aggravated charge indicating more than one drink, and said his client was remorseful for his actions. Mizhirumbay did not speak during his sentencing, and his family declined to speak with the media, per the outlet's reporting.
Daughter's Victim Impact Statement
White's daughter, Destiny White, delivered a victim impact statement describing milestones her father missed after his death. She said she was pregnant and got engaged that year, but sadness prevented her from enjoying either occasion. White said her father did not need to drive drunk or so fast, and said that while she had lost her father, she felt some responsibility had been taken through the sentencing, according to the same report.
Separate coverage from Greater Long Island confirmed the seven-to-15-year term handed down by Judge Fink, aligning with the sentence prosecutors had anticipated.
