A Bay Shore man pleaded guilty after admitting he stole an SUV while intoxicated, sped down Main Street without headlights, struck and killed a pedestrian and then fled the scene, Suffolk County prosecutors said.
Alexander Cerda, 23, pleaded guilty Wednesday, Sept. 30, to second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, third-degree grand larceny, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
According to court documents and Cerda’s admissions during his guilty plea, he broke the window of a Bay Shore home at about 2 a.m. on March 8, 2025, and stole an unlocked Toyota RAV4 from the driveway.
Surveillance video captured Cerda, who prosecutors said was intoxicated, driving away in the stolen SUV.
About 10 minutes later, Cerda was speeding west on Main Street with the headlights off when he struck 52-year-old Eric Perez of Bay Shore, prosecutors said. The impact threw Perez a considerable distance down the street.
Cerda stopped, got out of the Toyota and took several photos of the damage to the vehicle as Good Samaritans tried unsuccessfully to help Perez, according to prosecutors. Perez was pronounced dead at the scene.
When police arrived, Cerda got back into the stolen SUV and drove away, prosecutors said.
Detectives found the damaged Toyota the following day in the parking lot of an apartment complex near Cerda’s residence. Cerda was arrested on March 12, 2025.
“Every decision this defendant made on March 8, 2025, was worse than the next,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said. “While drunk, he stole a car and sped away without headlights. After striking Eric Perez, an innocent pedestrian, the defendant chose to flee instead of staying on the scene to help render aid to this victim, who ultimately died.”
Cerda is scheduled to return to court Jan. 8, 2027, for sentencing. He is expected to receive six to 18 years in prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ray Varuolo of the Vehicular Crime Bureau. Suffolk County Police Detective Michael Stella of the Major Case Unit investigated the case.
Photo: SCDA
