LI Man Sentenced For Crash That Seriously Injured Trooper: DA

LONG ISLAND, NY — A West Islip man was sentenced on Friday to 30 days in jail in connection to a crash that seriously injured a state trooper who was helping a disabled motorist on the Long Island Expressway in 2017, according to Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr.

Jesse Cohen was distracted by text conversations on his phone when he hit Trooper Joseph Gallagher on the exit ramp of the LIE in December 2017, according to Scarpino. Gallagher suffered a traumatic brain injury and is severely disabled, according to the district attorney. He cannot walk, talk or eat on his own and remains in a medical facility, Scarpino said.

Gallagher was helping a motorist with a disabled vehicle on a two-lane overpass connecting the LIE with the Sagtikos Parkway in Commack. He closed one lane and exited his patrol car. While he placed flares to divert traffic around the disabled car, more than one car successfully drove around him in the right lane.

However, Cohen didn't see Gallagher and struck him, the district attorney said. Data from Cohen's phone showed he sent and received dozens of text messages in a number of separate conversations in the 20 minutes while he was driving before striking Gallagher, according to Scarpino.

In July, Cohen pleaded guilty to third-degree assault with criminal negligence. He appeared for sentencing in Suffolk County Court in Central Islip on Friday. Under the plea agreement, Cohen will serve jail time, in addition to three years’ probation and 1,000 hours of community service.

The Westchester District Attorney's Office was appointed special prosecutor in the case; the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office was recused due to conflict.