October 10, 2007

El-Waraky Sentenced to Prison

After jury found El-Waraky guilty of DWI and leaving the scene,
he pleads guilty to reckless endangerment and is sentenced to prison

MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that Sayed El-Waraky, 25, an Egyptian national who was convicted of Reckless Endangerment, Driving While Intoxicated and Leaving the Scene of an Accident following a golf club altercation in the summer of 2006, has been sentenced by Nassau County Court Judge William Donnino to serve two and one-third to seven years in prison for his crimes. 

In May, a jury found the defendant guilty of misdemeanor DWI and Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, as well as Leaving the Scene of an Accident, a felony.  The jury acquitted the defendant on two of three assault charges and was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the other.  Last week, Mr. El-Waraky agreed to plead guilty to Reckless Endangerment in First Degree in satisfaction of the remaining assault charge and in exchange for the District Attorney’s recommendation that he receive the sentence imposed Wednesday morning.  The sentence represents the maximum period of incarceration allowed by law for a conviction on a Class D felony.

The District Attorney also required Mr. El-Waraky to agree to deportation following his incarceration. 

In August, Mr. El-Waraky was sentenced to serve one and one-third years to four years based on the guilty verdicts returned by the trial jury.  Wednesday’s sentence, based on the defendant’s guilty plea, will run concurrent to that period of incarceration.

“This incident has forever changed the lives of these innocent victims,” said Rice.  “It was important that we hold this defendant accountable for his actions and that’s exactly what we have been able to do.  The convictions and prison sentence won’t change the events of that night, and they won’t make the recovery process any easier, but I hope that they will provide some sense of closure and justice for the families involved.”

Mr. El-Waraky was arrested and charged in the early morning hours of June 18, 2006, after an altercation at the Glen Cove Golf Club’s Soundview Café. After being asked to leave and eventually escorted out of the bar area of the café, Mr. El-Waraky made several threats to patrons and bar staff before getting into his 2005 Jaguar and driving directly at a group that had congregated outside of the café.  According to several eyewitnesses who testified during the trial, Mr. El-Waraky’s vehicle reached speeds estimated between 30 and 40 miles per hour before striking four men: Sean Basdavanos, 23, of Glen Cove; Matthew Granger, 23, of Watermill, New York; Matthew Hurwitz, 22, and Salvatore Martinez, 33, of Glen Cove. Mr. Basdavanos was a bouncer at the café and had been responsible for escorting Mr. El-Waraky out of the bar area moments earlier. Despite his front windshield being shattered as a result of the crash, Mr. El-Waraky fled the parking lot and drove for approximately two miles before being pulled over by a Glen Cove police officer who was responding to 911 calls from the café.

Mr. Basdavanos’ injuries included a severely fractured jaw that had to be wired shut for more than six weeks.  He lost teeth and portions of Mr. Basdavanos’ lower lip and chin have been numb since the incident.

Mr. Granger’s injuries included fractures to four different areas of his skull and a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.  He suffered from bleeding from his ears and from his brain and was in a coma for approximately 12 hours following the crash.  As a result of the incident, Mr. Granger suffers from hearing loss, has had limited mobility and has had problems with his memory, concentration, as well as his ability to read.