A Bay Shore man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other charges after prosecutors say he stole an SUV while intoxicated, struck and killed a pedestrian on Main Street and then fled the scene.
Alexander Cerda, 23, pleaded guilty Tuesday to six charges stemming from the March 8, 2025, crash near Shore Lane that killed 52-year-old Bay Shore resident Eric Perez, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Cerda is expected to be sentenced to six to 18 years in prison.
What happened
According to prosecutors and Cerda’s admissions during his guilty plea, Cerda broke a window at a Bay Shore home at about 2 a.m. that morning and stole an unlocked Toyota RAV4 from the driveway.
Surveillance video captured Cerda, who prosecutors said was intoxicated, driving away in the stolen SUV.
About 10 minutes later, Cerda was speeding west on Main Street with the vehicle’s headlights off when he struck Perez, throwing him a considerable distance down the street, according to the DA’s office.
Prosecutors said Cerda stopped and got out of the SUV, but instead of remaining to help Perez, he took several photographs of the damage to the vehicle while Good Samaritans attempted to render aid.
Perez was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cerda then got back into the stolen RAV4 and drove away as police arrived, prosecutors said.
What followed
Detectives found the damaged SUV the following day in the parking lot of an apartment complex near Cerda’s home. Cerda was arrested March 12, 2025.
“Every decision this defendant made on March 8, 2025, was worse than the next,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement. “While drunk, he stole a car and sped away without headlights.”
Tierney said Cerda then chose to flee after striking Perez rather than remain at the scene and help.
Cerda pleaded guilty before Acting Supreme Court Justice Anthony S. Senft to second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, third-degree grand larceny, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
He is scheduled to return to court Jan. 8 for sentencing, prosecutors said.
Top: Alexander Cerda, 23. (Credit: Suffolk DA)
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