42-Year-Old Guilty In Warwick DWI That Seriously Injured A Woman

Crime & Safety

Cops found several damaged cars and the Sparrowbush man's car in the middle of the road. He had a BAC of 0.20 percent, 2.5 times the limit.

TOWN OF WARWICK, NY — A drunken driver who seriously hurt another motorists can expect to spend years behind bars after pleading guilty to a felony.

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler says that 42-year-old Michael Falkena, of Sparrowbush, pled guilty on Thursday to first degree vehicular assault. Under the plea agreement, it will be recommended that he be sentenced to three to six years in prison when he is back in court on February 5, 2025.

According to court documents, on December 28, 2023, Town of Warwick police officers responded to a multiple car crash on County Highway 1. Once on the scene, the found multiple cars with damage and found Falkena's vehicle in the middle of the road across both lanes of travel.

The officers noticed tell-tale signs of intoxication while speaking with Falkena, who later admitted to blacking out during the collision. Witnesses told police that Falkena had driven into the opposite lane of travel and struck other vehicles.

One of the occupants of a car that was hit had to be taken to a hospital where she had surgery for her internal injuries.

A blood analysis of Falkena's blood showed that his blood alcohol content was 0.20 percent, which is two and a half times the legal limit.

During plea proceedings Falkena admitted to driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content in excess of the legal limit and thereby causing another person serious physical injury.

"Combining excessive alcohol intake with driving is a recipe for disaster," Hoovler said. "This defendant's selfish choices resulted in serious and protracted injury to an innocent individual. Drunk drivers put us all at risk through their careless decisions. Incidents such as this one are not accidents, they are serious crimes and perpetrators need to be held accountable. I hope that this case serves as a warning to those inclined to make the same senseless choice made by the defendant in this case. My Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of drunk and drugged drivers, particularly in those cases that result in injury."

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the Town of Warwick Police Department whose investigation led to the arrest of Falkena.