PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release on January 5, 2006

Contact: William J. Smith (718) 556-7150
William.Smith@rcda.nyc.gov

D.A. Donovan: Indictment Unsealed in September “Hit & Run” Death of NYC D.O.T. Worker

Vincent Ventafredda, 26, Indicted on Manslaughter and Other Charges Related to September 22nd Incident Which Resulted in the Death of a Member of D.O.T. Road Crew

STATEN ISLAND, NY - Richmond County District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. today announced the unsealing of a 9-count Grand Jury indictment against Vincent Ventafredda (DOB: 10/15/1979), of Arbutus Ave, Staten Island, for a September 22, 2005 incident in which the defendant is alleged to have operated a motor vehicle into a Department of Transportation (DOT) worksite, injuring several Department of Transportation (DOT) workers, including one, Nick Antico, 35, fatally.

The defendant has been charged with once count each of Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree, Reckless Endangerment and Assault in the 2nd Degree, two counts of Assault in the 3rd Degree and four counts of Leaving the Scene of an Accident. The top count of the indictment, Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree, carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

Ventafredda is charged with operating a blue 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Track shortly before 2:00 a.m. in the vicinity of Slosson Avenue near Lortel Avenue where a crew of DOT workers was repaving Slosson Avenue. The defendant is alleged at an excessive speed to have passed through cautionary signage and a coned area, striking a DOT truck and three workers.

District Attorney Donovan stated, “By the actions alleged in this indictment, Vincent Ventafredda, recklessly operated his vehicle in a manner that caused the death of Nick Antico, inured two other DOT workers and endangered the lives of several others. This flagrant disregard for their safety was compounded by the defendant’s cowardly action of leaving the scene of an accident where he injured several people.”

After leaving the scene of the accident, the defendant surrendered on Friday, September 23rd, to the Richmond County District Attorney’s office and was placed under arrest by Det. Tony Raccioppo of the Accident Investigation Squad within the confines of the Richmond County District Attorney’s office at 130 Stuyvesant Place, St. George.

The defendant was arraigned on the charges Thursday morning in State Supreme Court in St. George before Judge Leonard P. Rienzi. He entered a plea of not-guilty and was released on $50,000 bail. The case is on again for conference on March 3, 2006.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Mark Palladino, working under the supervision of ADA Mario Mattei, Chief of the Investigations Bureau. The defendant is represented by Joseph Benfante, Esq.

The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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