WEST ISLIP, NY – On Wednesday, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Jimmy Graham, 41, of Central Islip, has been sentenced to three to nine years in state prison following his guilty plea to Aggravated Vehicular Assault and related charges stemming from a wrong-way, head-on collision that left two people seriously injured.
Graham admitted to driving under the combined influence of alcohol and methamphetamine when he caused the crash.
When someone chooses to drive while impaired by both alcohol and drugs, they are placing every motorist at grave risk,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This defendant’s actions turned a vehicle into a weapon, and today’s sentence reflects our commitment to holding dangerous drivers accountable and protecting the public.”
According to court documents and Graham’s admissions during his plea allocution, on July 14, 2024, at approximately 9:36 p.m., Graham was operating a 2014 Audi sedan on the Sunrise Highway South Service Road near Malts Avenue in West Islip. At the time, Graham’s driving privileges had been revoked. While traveling at a high rate of speed in the wrong direction, he collided head-on with a Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling eastbound in the left lane with two occupants inside.
Both victims sustained serious physical injuries, including multiple fractures and a traumatic brain injury, and required emergency surgical intervention.
Members of the West Islip Fire Department responded to the scene and extricated the victims from their vehicle. A good Samaritan assisted in removing Graham, who was unconscious, from his vehicle shortly before it became engulfed in flames. Graham was transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital, where a blood sample was obtained.
An investigation conducted by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Suffolk County Police Department led to the execution of a search warrant for Graham’s hospital blood results. Testing revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .14% and the presence of methamphetamine. Additionally, video surveillance from a nearby business captured the crash and showed Graham traveling into oncoming traffic at a high rate of speed.
On November 13, 2025, Graham pleaded guilty before Acting Supreme Court Justice Philip Goglas to the following charges:
- Aggravated Vehicular Assault – Class C felony
- Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree – Class D felonies
- Driving While Intoxicated – Unclassified misdemeanor
- Driving While Ability Impaired by the Combined Influence of Drugs or Alcohol and Drugs – Unclassified misdemeanor
- Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree – Unclassified misdemeanor
- Reckless Driving – Unclassified misdemeanor
On December 17, 2025, Graham was sentenced to three to nine years in state prison.
Key Facts and Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Jimmy Graham |
| Age | 41 |
| Residence | Central Islip, New York |
| Incident Date | July 14, 2024 |
| Incident Time | Approximately 9:36 p.m. |
| Location | Sunrise Highway South Service Road near Malts Avenue, West Islip, NY |
| Vehicle Operated | 2014 Audi sedan |
| Other Vehicle | Jeep Grand Cherokee |
| Driving Direction | Wrong way on service road |
| Driving Status | License revoked at time of crash |
| Impairment | Alcohol and methamphetamine |
| Blood Alcohol Content | 0.14% |
| Crash Type | Head-on collision |
| Victims | Two occupants of Jeep Grand Cherokee |
| Victim Injuries | Multiple fractures; traumatic brain injury; emergency surgery required |
| Emergency Response | West Islip Fire Department; Good Samaritan assisted |
| Hospital | Good Samaritan University Hospital |
| Evidence | Hospital blood test; surveillance video from nearby business |
| Top Charge | Aggravated Vehicular Assault (Class C felony) |
| Additional Charges | Assault 2nd Degree (2 counts), DWI, DWAI (Drugs & Alcohol), Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 3rd Degree, Reckless Driving |
| Plea Date | November 13, 2025 |
| Sentencing Date | December 17, 2025 |
| Sentence Imposed | Three to nine years in state prison |
| Court | Suffolk County Supreme Court |
| Presiding Judge | Acting Supreme Court Justice Philip Goglas |
