Binghamton man gets up to 9 years in prison on manslaughter charge for fatal 2019 crash
A Binghamton man who admitted to causing a crash that killed another driver more than two years ago faces at least three years behind bars.
Broome County Judge Joseph Cawley on Tuesday sentenced Elijah Burnside, 24, to three to nine years in state prison in connection with the Nov. 19, 2019 crash that killed 70-year-old Ronald Phetphongsy, also of Binghamton.
Binghamton police said around 2:40 p.m. on that date, Burnside, then 22, was traveling south on Chapin Street at a high rate of speed when he went through the stop sign at the intersection with Leroy Street and struck Phetphongsy's BMW.
Following the crash, Phetphongsy was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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Burnside pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, a felony, in an Oct. 25, 2021 appearance before Cawley.
His defense attorney Paul Battisti described the crash as an "unfortunate, horrific situation," and said his client wanted to accept responsibility for what happened.
The Broome County District Attorney's Office agreed to recommend a sentence of three to nine years in return for the guilty plea. A second-degree manslaughter conviction carries a potential penalty of five to 15 years in prison.
As a result of the collision, both vehicles wound up striking a house at the corner of Chapin and Leroy streets.
Burnside had 19 suspensions on his driving record at the time of the fatal crash, according to Binghamton City Court records.
Four occupants of Burnside's Honda Civic were also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Burnside has been incarcerated at the Broome County Jail without bail since his arrest.
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This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton man sentenced to 3 to 9 years for causing fatal 2019 crash
