Patchogue woman pleads guilty to running over, killing Brentwood anti-gang activist in 2018
It happened following an argument over Drago's removal of a memorial honoring Evelyn Rodriguez's daughter, Kayla Cuevas, who had been murdered in the area two years earlier.
May 31, 2024, 4:27 PM
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Updated
A Patchogue woman pleaded guilty Friday to running over and killing anti-gang activist Evelyn Rodriguez.
It happened in 2018 when Ann Marie Drago hit Rodriguez following an argument over Drago's removal of a memorial honoring Rodriguez's daughter, Kayla Cuevas, who had been murdered in the area two years earlier.
Drago was previously found guilty of criminally negligient homicide in the case in 2020. A state appeals court overturned that conviction.
Drago was found guilty of petit larceny in 2023 following a retrial, but a mistrial was declared on the criminally negligent homicide charge.
The Suffolk County District's Attorney Office said it would retry the case.
Drago pleaded guilty just days before the start of that trial. She is due back in court for sentencing on Aug. 1 and is expected to receive five years of probation.
