Patrick Poillon, 24, of Darien killed a husband and wife in a motor vehicle crash on Long Island Dec. 22, then fled the scene, according to an indictment unsealed Monday from a Suffolk County, New York grand jury.
Suffolk County, New York arrest photo of Patrick Poillon, 24, of Darien.
“The defendant was allegedly driving more than twice the legal speed limit and blowing through stop signs in a residential neighborhood at the time of this horrific crash,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini (a relative of Darien Planning and Zoning Board Chairman John Sini). “Because of his reckless actions, a husband and wife were killed just days before Christmas.”
The district attorney’s office described what happened with this account, an accusation not proven in court:
At about 10:11 p.m. on Dec. 22, 2018, Poillon was allegedly driving a 2006 Ford Explorer southbound on Huguenot Drive in Mastic Beach, New York when he drove through a stop sign and struck a 2004 Subaru Legacy traveling eastbound on Forest Road West. Poillon allegedly fled the scene of the crash on foot, leaving the Explorer and a passenger at the scene.
The two passengers in the Subaru, William Molnar, 50, and Jean Molnar, 41, both of Mastic Beach, were pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.
A 22-year-old male passenger in the front seat of the Explorer was transported by Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of physical injuries.
Following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives, Poillon was arrested at a relative’s residence in Mastic Beach at approximately 3:37 a.m. on Dec. 23.
Poillon was allegedly driving at approximately 68 mph at the time of the crash, which occurred in a 30 mph speed zone. Poillon was also allegedly holding a “Natty Daddy,” which is a 25-ounce can of Natural Light beer, while driving.
In Court
Poillon is charged with these felonies under New York state law: two counts of second-degree manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, tampering with physical evidence.
He’s also charged with these misdemeanors: second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree assault, reckless driving, aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle. In addition, he’s accused of speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign, both traffic infractions.
Poillon was arraigned on the indictment Monday in Suffolk County Supreme Court. His bail was set at $1 million cash or $5 million bond and his driver’s license was suspended. He is due back in court on Feb. 4.
If convicted of the top count, Poillon faces a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison.
Previous Criminal Charges in Vermont and Long Island
According to the district attorney’s office, Poillon also has criminal charges pending in Brattleboro, Vermont, from an incident that occurred in 2016 in which Poillon and a co-defendant allegedly assaulted a man in a supermarket and stole alcohol from him.
The district attorney’s office said the Vermont charges also include a hate-motivated aggravated disorderly conduct charge for allegedly attacking an African-American woman during the incident and calling her a racial slur.
Brattleboro Reformer newspaper articles in 2016 and this past December reported this additional information, including Brattleboro police accusations not proven in court:
The incident occurred July 31, 2016 and Poillon then was a Brattleboro resident (as of last December, Vermont court authorities had his address listed as Mastic, New York). Poillon fled the scene but was later arrested.
He pleaded not guilty to the Vermont charges and was later released on a $10,000 bond. Last June he was charged with failure to appear in court. The case is still ongoing.
“Poillon also has charges pending in Suffolk County,” according to the Brattleboro Reformer. “In June 2017, Poillon was charged with criminal trespassing charge and operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration.”