A 20-year-old man from Queens has been sentenced to prison following a devastating high-speed, drug-impaired crash on Long Island that claimed the lives of his own sister and her best friend. The sentencing, which took place in a Nassau County courtroom, brings a legal conclusion to a tragedy that left one family shattered and another young man permanently disabled.
Jaden D’Souza was sentenced on May 8, 2026, to a term of seven to 18 years in state prison. The ruling follows a series of reckless decisions that turned a public parkway into a scene of carnage, as D’Souza drove at speeds exceeding 100 mph while under the influence of drugs. The court proceedings highlighted the profound grief of the victims’ families and the lifelong consequences of impaired driving.
The incident occurred on the evening of January 12, 2025, when D’Souza was operating a 2016 Dodge Dart eastbound on the Southern State Parkway. According to official reports, the vehicle was traveling near Exit 30, carrying three passengers: D’Souza’s 21-year-old sister, Haily D’Souza. 23-year-old Crystal Alba-Figueroa; and another 23-year-old male passenger. The crash resulted in the immediate deaths of the two young women and left the male passenger with catastrophic injuries.
The Anatomy of a Fatal Crash
The evidence presented during the investigation painted a picture of extreme recklessness. Prosecutors revealed that D’Souza was weaving in and out of traffic lanes at a high rate of speed before losing control of the vehicle. The car veered off the road and collided violently with a tree on the grassy shoulder, eventually coming to rest upside down. Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly confirmed that both Haily D’Souza and Crystal Alba-Figueroa were pronounced dead at the scene.
The violence of the impact was so severe that a spare tire was dislodged from D’Souza’s vehicle and launched into another car. This secondary collision forced the other driver into a guardrail, causing further injuries. Meanwhile, the male passenger in the front seat of the Dodge Dart survived the crash but suffered life-altering trauma, including spinal fractures and a traumatic brain injury, as detailed in reports from the Long Island Press.
Digital evidence played a critical role in establishing the speed and nature of the drive. Cellphone video recorded by Haily D’Souza prior to the crash captured the extreme velocity of the vehicle, while dashcam footage from a nearby motorist showed the Dodge Dart speeding past them seconds before the fatal impact. Following the crash, investigators recovered various cannabis products from the vehicle and surrounding debris, including THC-infused products, a bong and rolling papers.
Legal Proceedings and Convictions
Jaden D’Souza entered a guilty plea on March 23, 2026, before Judge Caryn Fink. He admitted to a range of serious charges reflecting the gravity of his actions. The convictions included:
- Aggravated Vehicular Homicide: A B felony involving the causing of death while operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Manslaughter in the Second Degree: Two counts (C felony), reflecting the reckless indifference to human life.
- Assault in the Second Degree: A D violent felony.
- Assault in the Third Degree: An A misdemeanor.
- Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs: An unclassified misdemeanor.
While the Nassau County District Attorney’s office recommended a sentence of seven to 21 years, the court ultimately settled on a range of seven to 18 years. This sentence serves as a legal mandate for accountability, though the defense argued that D’Souza, who had no prior criminal history, was a “kid who messed up badly.”
The Human Cost and Victim Impact
The sentencing hearing was marked by intense emotion, as family members faced the man responsible for their loss. Yajaira Figueroa, the mother of Crystal Alba-Figueroa, provided a heart-wrenching victim impact statement. In a letter read by Katie Zizza, deputy bureau chief of vehicular crimes, Figueroa described her daughter as her “entire life” and pleaded with the court to recognize the immense value of the life that was lost.
The tragedy is compounded by the familial bond broken by the crash. D’Souza’s own sister, Haily, was one of the victims. During the proceedings, defense attorney Donald Rollock noted the agonizing position of the D’Souza family, stating, “The family is torn. They had to bury one and now one is going to jail.”
Judge Caryn Fink described the case as “heartbreaking all around,” noting that it was one of the most difficult cases she had presided over. She highlighted the cruelty of the outcome: two innocent lives extinguished, one person permanently disabled, and a fourth young life now destined for prison.
A Warning Against Reckless Driving
District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly used the sentencing as a public warning to others who treat public roads as racetracks. She emphasized that the defendant’s choices were “deliberate and dangerous,” stating that driving while impaired leads to preventable deaths. The DA’s office hopes this case serves as a deterrent to those who engage in street racing or drive under the influence of controlled substances.
The defense attorney, Donald Rollock, while advocating for forgiveness, also suggested that systemic changes are needed to prevent such tragedies. He called for the installation of more highway cameras and speed readers, as well as the seizure of vehicles from repeat reckless driving offenders to better protect the public.
For the survivors, the road to recovery is long. The 23-year-old male passenger remains permanently disabled, a living reminder of the “flagrant disregard for human life” cited by prosecutors. The case underscores the catastrophic intersection of drug use and high-speed driving, where a few minutes of recklessness can result in a lifetime of grief and incarceration.
Jaden D’Souza is expected to be eligible for parole after serving six years of his sentence, according to his legal counsel. No further court dates have been scheduled at this time.
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