On November 2, 2022, Roddy Delagrandeanse (DOB 02/11/1998) of Schenectady, was sentenced to serve 1.5 years to 4.5 years in state prison for his conviction of the crime of Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Motor Vehicle Incident Without Reporting in violation of NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law section 600(2)(a) and section 600(2)(c). The defendant had pled guilty to a Superior Court Information containing that sole charge on August 12, 2022 with no promises as to his sentence. Arguments were made by attorney Justin DeArmas on behalf of the defendant and ADA Nicolaus B. McDonald on behalf of the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office before Acting County Court Judge Mark Caruso, who imposed the above prison sentence. The defendant could have received a sentence between a minimum of five years probation and a maximum of 2 1/3 – 7 years in prison.
The charge stems from an incident on May 4, 2021 at 1:49 am when the defendant struck the victim, Carolyn Lord (DOB 07/21/1959), with his vehicle as she was attempting to cross Broadway outside the crosswalk in the area of Millard Street in the City of Schenectady. The defendant is seen on County Cameras coming to a complete stop after striking Ms. Lord, pausing for several seconds, and then driving around her apparently lifeless body. A short time later, another vehicle is seen driving over her body, which became lodged underneath that vehicle and dragged up the Broadway hill before becoming dislodged in the area of Key Bank. The second driver had become aware that something was under his car and he is seen on camera getting out to examine his car in the Key Bank parking lot, but he saw nothing because the victim’s body had already fallen off into the roadway where it was found later that morning.
After striking Ms. Lord, the defendant drove back to his father’s house where he admitted to his father that he “struck something or someone.” Delagrandeanse then drove a different vehicle to a hotel room he had previously rented, where cleaning staff later found a bottle of liquor and reported smelling a strong odor of marijuana. Upon learning police were looking for him, the defendant turned himself in to the Schenectady Police Department. It was also determined that the defendant was not driving with a valid driver’s license.
Schenectady County District Attorney Robert M. Carney stated: “An intensive investigation was undertaken by Schenectady Police Accident Investigator Mark Weekes and DA Investigator Rick Voris to reconstruct Mr. Delagraneanse’s activities both before and after the collision. They found that he had purchased the alcohol that was later found in his hotel room and marihuana paraphernalia before his car struck Ms. Lord. But, by the time he turned himself in there was no possibility of determining whether he was impaired prior to striking the victim. Had he stopped at the scene as required by law he might not have faced criminal charges. The video evidence reveals no evidence of impairment. He was not obviously speeding, he had a green light approaching the crosswalk and Ms. Lord was not in the crosswalk, wearing dark clothing on a rainy night. But whatever his reasons for leaving, he had both a moral and legal obligation to remain at this scene and attempt to obtain medical aid for Ms. Lord and by abandoning her he has earned this prison sentence.”
For further information contact Assistant District Attorney Nicolaus B. McDonald at (518) 388-4721.