Jaime Paucar sentenced to at least 8 years in prison for 2020 DWI crash on I-287 that killed Ardsley man, teenager
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Anguish filled a Westchester County courtroom on Monday during the sentencing of a man who killed a father and a teenager in a wrong-way crash.
CBS2's Tony Aiello was in court as the judge resisted a plea for mercy, and handed down the maximum sentence.
Jaime Paucar spoke of pain in his heart for the lives he destroyed in January 2020.
The Somers man had three DWI convictions on his record when he caused a fatal wreck. He was drunk and driving the wrong way on I-287 when he hit a car carrying an Ardsley man, his son, and two teenage friends to a basketball game.
Jordan Wachtell, 57, and Eric Goldberg, 18, died.
Jack Rosen was in Wachtell's vehicle and survived with broken bones.
"I mean, I think about it every day. I don't sleep at night. I miss my best friend," Rosen said.
Paucar sobbed in court while listening to relatives of the victims describe their heartbreak. The judge did not allow the media to record their comments.
"All of these victims and their families, friends, and the community will remember what the defendant did to them for the rest of their lives. And all of this because the defendant drank alcohol and got behind the wheel of a car," prosecutor Jonathan Strongin said.
"Every day I pray for those who died," Paucar said through an interpreter.
He asked for forgiveness. His lawyer asked for a measure of mercy. Paucar is married and has three teenagers of his own.
"Mr. Paucar should have known better," Judge George Fufidio said.
Fufidio called Paucar selfish and reckless before handing down the maximum sentence -- at least eight years in prison before parole eligibility.
"I guess it was nice to have like a little justice," Rosen said.
Members of the Wachtell family left without comment.
The case was the first time the Westchester district attorney brought murder charges in a DWI case. Ultimately, Paucar was convicted and now has been sentenced on a lesser charge, aggravated vehicular homicide.
