The man charged with manslaughter in a crash that killed a young man on the LIE Saturday has been released on bail.
As News 12 has reported, police say 21-year-old George Ragotte, of Ronkonkoma, had slowed to avoid the remnants of an earlier collision on the highway in Plainview early Saturday morning. Ragotte's car was struck by Raj Jadeja, 34, who was allegedly drunk behind the wheel.
Ragotte was extricated from his vehicle and was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police say Jadeja had a blood alcohol content of 0.12, well over the legal limit. He was charged with manslaughter and DWI.
Jadeja, a Hempstead attorney from Brooklyn, pleaded not guilty and was released on Sunday after posting $275,000 cash bail. He and his wife, who is also an attorney, refused to comment to reporters in court.
Fran Owens, the mother of Ragotte's girlfriend, says Ragotte had just left her home Friday night when his life was cut short. Owens says Ragotte and her daughter had just posted a video to Facebook about their new relationship and their commitment to each other.
"He left our house happy as could be... and then within minutes he was dead," Owens said.