A Central Islip man was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison for stabbing and strangling his wife while she slept, months before he was arrested after drunkenly crashing into her vehicle as she drove to work, prosecutors said.
Rodolfo Alvarez, 35, was sentenced Aug. 20 after previously pleading guilty to attempted murder and other charges stemming from the May 2024 attack and a September 2024 crash, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.
Prosecutors said Alvarez attacked his wife on May 10, 2024, while she was sleeping in her Central Islip home.
Alvarez stabbed her in the back with a kitchen knife and strangled her until she lost consciousness, according to court documents and his admissions during his guilty plea. He then dragged her to the floor and continued strangling her until a relative entered the room and told him police were on their way.
Alvarez fled before officers arrived, prosecutors said.
The victim was taken to South Shore University Hospital, where she was treated for her injuries.
Police were unable to locate Alvarez until Sept. 26, 2024, when prosecutors said he rear-ended and sideswiped his wife’s vehicle while she was driving to work.
Alvarez’s vehicle rolled during the crash. Prosecutors said he fled on foot but was located by police a short distance away and showed signs of intoxication.
A blood sample taken approximately one hour after the crash showed Alvarez had a blood alcohol content of .22%, more than twice the legal limit, according to the district attorney’s office.
Alvarez pleaded guilty April 28 to attempted murder, attempted first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, second-degree strangulation, aggravated driving while intoxicated, two counts of driving while intoxicated, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree reckless endangerment, fourth-degree criminal mischief and leaving the scene of an incident resulting in injury.
Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz sentenced Alvarez to 18 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
The district attorney’s office said Alvarez has four previous DWI convictions, including one in 2014, two in 2019 and one in 2023. He also has prior convictions for first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree criminal mischief and third-degree menacing.
Photo: SCDA
