MIDDLE ISLAND, NY- Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Melissa Koprowski, 32, of Yaphank, has been sentenced to four to twelve years in prison for causing a fatal crash in November 2024 on Middle Country Road in Middle Island that claimed the life of 75-year-old Esther Guy and injured her granddaughter. Koprowski was found to be intoxicated and impaired by marijuana at the time of the collision.
Esther Guy was simply out for a drive with her granddaughter when the defendant made the reckless choice to drive while intoxicated,” said District Attorney Tierney. “We hope that today’s sentence sends a clear message that driving drunk or high has life and death consequences.”
According to court records and Koprowski’s admissions during her guilty plea, the crash occurred on November 22, 2024, at approximately 8:39 p.m. Koprowski was driving a 2014 Dodge Durango eastbound on Middle Country Road when she attempted to make a left turn onto Wading River Hollow Road without having the right of way. At the same time, a 2022 Nissan Rogue traveling westbound through the intersection with a green light collided head-on with Koprowski’s vehicle.
Inside the Nissan were the driver, her two-year-old child, and her 75-year-old mother, Esther Guy, who was seated in the backseat. The impact forced the Nissan off the roadway and into a wooded area.
Emergency responders transported all three occupants to Long Island Community Hospital. The driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries, the child was uninjured, and Guy was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Koprowski was also hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries. Officers observed signs of intoxication and placed her under arrest. Toxicology testing later revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .12% and a high level of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.
On October 1, 2025, Koprowski pleaded guilty before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz to the following charges:
- Manslaughter in the Second Degree (Class C Felony)
- Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (Class D Felony)
- Assault in the Second Degree (Class D Violent Felony)
- Assault in the Third Degree (Class A Misdemeanor)
- Two Counts of Driving While Intoxicated (Unclassified Misdemeanors)
- Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs (Class A Misdemeanor)
- Driving While Ability Impaired by the Combination of Alcohol and a Drug (Unclassified Misdemeanor)
- Reckless Driving (Unclassified Misdemeanor)
On November 7, 2025, Justice Horowitz sentenced Koprowski to four to twelve years in prison. She was represented by John Halverson, Esq.
Key Facts and Details
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Melissa Koprowski, 32, of Yaphank, NY |
| Victim | Esther Guy, 75, of Suffolk County |
| Incident Date | November 22, 2024 |
| Location | Intersection of Middle Country Road and Wading River Hollow Road, Middle Island |
| Vehicle Driven by Defendant | 2014 Dodge Durango |
| Victim’s Vehicle | 2022 Nissan Rogue |
| Substances Involved | Alcohol (.12% BAC) and Marijuana (THC) |
| Conviction Date | October 1, 2025 |
| Sentence Date | November 7, 2025 |
| Sentence | 4 to 12 years in state prison |
| Presiding Judge | Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz |
| Defense Counsel | John Halverson, Esq. |
| Investigating Agency | Suffolk County Police Department |
