Elmira man pleads guilty to manslaughter in fatal Newfield crash; faces up to 15 years
An Elmira man indicted on multiple felonies after a fatal crash in Tompkins County last year has pleaded guilty to the most serious charge he faced.
Jonathan A. Roberts, 32, pleaded guilty in Tompkins County Court to a single felony count of second-degree manslaughter.
Roberts was originally indicted by a grand jury on the manslaughter charge, along with reckless driving, criminally negligent homicide and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident without reporting.
The charges stemmed from a March 19, 2022, crash on state Route 13 in the Town of Newfield that killed 49-year-old Joseph Leon Arguello.
Arguello was a musician and father of two who lived in New Mexico but was in Ithaca on an extended visit to spend time with his children, according to Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, who prosecuted the case.
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Roberts admitted to operating a motor vehicle while in an impaired condition in the early morning hours of March 19 when the crash occurred, Van Houten said.
Roberts, who was represented by defense attorney Luke Fenchel, also waived his right to appeal when he entered his guilty plea.
Tompkins County Judge John C. Rowley scheduled sentencing for 11 a.m. April 21. The plea agreement included no promises regarding sentence recommendations, but Roberts faces between five and 15 years in state prison on the manslaughter charge.
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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Elmira man faces 15 years in prison for fatal Tompkins County crash
