A 50-year-old woman died in a one-car accident over the weekend. The accident occurred on Saturday around 7:15 a.m. in the seventy block of Homer Avenue. Four people were in the vehicle when it crashed into a utility pole. Cortland City Police responded to the scene and discovered that the back seat passenger, who has not been identified, had died due to the accident.
The driver, Ergardo Rosario, was taken to Cortland Hospital with chest pain. Two other adult passengers, a male and a female, were taken to Upstate University Hospital with serious injuries.
An investigation and Drug Recognition Expert Evaluation revealed that Rosario was driving while under the influence of drugs. As a result, he was arrested for one count of aggravated vehicular homicide, one count of vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, one count of reckless endangerment in the second degree, one count of operating a motor vehicle impaired by drugs, one count of reckless driving and one count of speed not reasonable and prudent.
Rosario was arraigned in Cortland City Court and sent to Cortland County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in city court on March 15.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to determine the cause of the accident and any other contributing factors. The tragedy serves as a reminder of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and the importance of safe driving practices.
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