The 20-year-old North Babylon driver of a sport utility vehicle that crashed into a tree and burst into flames, killing four Maine Maritime Academy students, is facing 17 charges including four counts of manslaughter.
Joshua Goncalves-Radding was indicted Thursday by a grand jury after investigators concluded he was speeding and under the influence of alcohol at the time of the December crash in Castine, officials said.
The indictment discloses for the first time that investigators believe alcohol played a role in the deadly crash, and it also indicates the vehicle was traveling at between 106 mph and 111 mph (170 kph and 179 kph) before the crash.
Seven students were in the 2013 Range Rover that crashed late at night following the semester's last day of classes.
Killed were Brian Kenealy, 20, of York, Maine; Chase Fossett, 21, of Gardiner, Maine; Luke Simpson, 22, of Rockport, Massachusetts; and Riley Ignacio-Cameron, 20, of Aquinnah, Massachusetts. Two other students, in addition to Goncalves-Radding, survived the crash with serious injuries, according to the indictment.
In addition to four counts of manslaughter, the Long Island man was also indicted on five counts of aggravated OUI, two counts of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, three counts of driving to endanger and one count each of criminal speeding, forgery and unlawful use of a license.