EAST HAMPTON, NY – On Wednesday, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Luis Gonzalo Barrionuevo Fuertes, 18, of Moriches, has pleaded guilty to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and numerous related charges stemming from a Father’s Day crash in East Hampton that killed a teenage passenger and seriously injured others.
According to court records and the defendant’s sworn admissions, on June 15, 2025, Barrionuevo Fuertes drove seven teenagers in a 2009 Toyota Camry to a beach in East Hampton, where members of the group consumed alcohol. The passengers ranged in age from 15 to 19 years old.
Later that evening, Barrionuevo Fuertes drove the group northbound on Old Stone Highway with six passengers in the back seat, including a 15-year-old. At approximately 7:39 p.m., he approached a curve at a high rate of speed, crossed into the opposite lane nearly striking an oncoming vehicle and then veered off the roadway, crashing into a tree. The impact caused the vehicle to roll onto its passenger side.
Nineteen-year-old Scarleth Samaniego-Urgiles of East Hampton, who was seated in the rear, was killed in the crash. The remaining passengers were transported to local hospitals. One rear-seat passenger suffered a spinal fracture and severe hand lacerations that resulted in significant disfigurement.
Responding officers observed signs of intoxication and placed Barrionuevo Fuertes under arrest. He consented to a blood test, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent. An analysis of the vehicle’s event data recorder revealed that seconds before the crash, the vehicle was traveling approximately 74 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone.
On February 11, 2026, Barrionuevo Fuertes pleaded guilty before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski to:
- Aggravated Vehicular Homicide
- Manslaughter in the Second Degree
- Aggravated Vehicular Assault
- Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree
- Multiple counts of Assault, Vehicular Assault, and Driving While Intoxicated
- Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child
- Endangering the Welfare of a Child
- Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving, and related offenses
Barrionuevo Fuertes is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18, 2026, and faces between four and 12 years in prison. District Attorney Tierney stated that the plea ensures accountability for a crash that resulted in the loss of a young life and serious injuries to others.
Key Facts and Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Luis Gonzalo Barrionuevo Fuertes |
| Age | 18 |
| Residence | Moriches, NY |
| Incident Date | June 15, 2025 – Father’s Day |
| Crash Location | Old Stone Highway, East Hampton |
| Vehicle | 2009 Toyota Camry |
| Posted Speed Limit | 30 mph |
| Speed at Impact | Approximately 74 mph (per event data recorder) |
| Blood Alcohol Content | 0.08% |
| Total Occupants | 7 teenagers (ages 15 to 19) |
| Fatality | Scarleth Samaniego-Urgiles, 19, of East Hampton |
| Additional Injuries | Multiple passengers injured; one suffered spinal fracture and severe hand disfigurement |
| Top Charge | Aggravated Vehicular Homicide – Class B felony |
| Other Charges | Manslaughter 2nd, Aggravated Vehicular Assault, multiple Assault and DWI-related offenses |
| Guilty Plea Date | February 11, 2026 |
| Sentencing Date | March 18, 2026 |
| Potential Sentence | 4 to 12 years in state prison |
| Court | Suffolk County Supreme Court |
| Presiding Judge | Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski |
