WARSAW, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Wyoming County man has been sentenced following a crash that killed his passenger in April 2020.
21-year-old Michael Conrad pleaded guilty to the following charges in December 2020:
- Manslaughter in the second degree
- Vehicular manslaughter in the second degree
- Assault in the second degree
- Driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of drugs
According to the Wyoming County District Attorney's Office Conrad was arrested by the New York State police in April 2020 following the investigation into a fatal crash on Pleasant Valley Road in the Town of Wethersfield.
Officials say 20-year-old Cori Lynn Shearing, a passenger in the vehicle driven by Conrad, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
The district attorney's office says investigators determined Conrad was operating the vehicle at a speed of 97 MPH prior to the crash and a lab analysis of his blood determined he was under the influence of cannabis and ecstasy/molly at the time.
Conrad was sentenced Thursday before Judge Michael M. Mohun as follows:
- Manslaughter in the Second Degree – 1 1/3 to 4 years in NYS Prison
- Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree – 1 1/3 to 4 years in NYS Prison
- Assault in the Second Degree – 2 years NYS Prison with 1.5 years PRS
- Driving While Ability Impaired by the Combined Influence of Drugs – Conditional Discharge, DL revocation
All sentences are required by NYS law to run concurrently (at the same time) and the district attorney's office says there was no plea agreement with respect to sentencing in this case.
“Our hearts continue to go out to the Shearing family for the tragic loss of a daughter, sister, and friend Cori. While this sentencing will bring finality to the criminal case and some closure there isn’t any sentence that will fill the loss. Hopefully this case will make people think about not drinking or using drugs while operating their cars,” said Wyoming County District Attorney Donald O’Geen.
