Family wants tougher DWI laws after man sentenced in fatal crash

<p style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;">Raj Jadeja pleaded guilty to driving drunk and high on the Long Island Expressway in 2015.</p>

News 12 Staff

May 25, 2017, 3:52 PM

Updated 2,689 days ago

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A family is calling for tougher DWI laws after an immigration lawyer - who admitted to killing a man while speeding, drunk and high on the LIE - was sentenced.
Raj Jadeja, of Queens, pleaded guilty to driving drunk and high on the Long Island Expressway. The crash happened at exit 46 in Plainview in September 2015. Police say two cars were involved in a minor collision when Jadeja's car came speeding through in excess of a 100 mph and rear-ended George Ragotte's car. Ragotte died a short time later.
After a plea deal, Jadeja admitted his guilt and was sentenced up to three years in prison for the crash. The victim's stepfather Steve Bottega says justice wasn't done.
"We're going to fight to change the laws in this state…they're very soft on DWI laws and I am going to fight,” he says.
The victim's mother Joan Bottega says she can't forgive the man who did it. 
"He's a murderer, he is - he knows he is,” she says.
Jadeja will be required to serve at least two years before parole, and faces another three years of probation.   
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