Rockland County, NY – Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh, II, announced that 26-year-old Rosana DiPaola of Pomona, New York, was sentenced to one to three years in state prison following her guilty plea in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident. The incident occurred on January 26, 2024, when DiPaola struck 73-year-old pedestrian Daniel Deserio with her vehicle, resulting in his death.
The sentencing, which took place in Rockland County Court before Judge Djinsad Desir, followed DiPaola’s admission to the charges against her, including leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the second degree, and circumvention of an interlock device. Despite the District Attorney’s Office recommending a maximum sentence of two 1/3 to seven years, DiPaola was sentenced to one to three years in state prison.
On the morning of the accident, DiPaola was driving a silver Volkswagen Passat on Thiells Mt. Ivy Road in the Town of Haverstraw when she struck Deserio, causing him to collide with a parked Jeep Wrangler. After the crash, DiPaola fled the scene without reporting the incident, leaving behind the vehicle’s license plate, which ultimately led to her identification and arrest.
The Town of Haverstraw Police Department, with assistance from the Town of Ramapo Police Department, utilized the found license plate to track down DiPaola. The investigation revealed that at the time of the incident, DiPaola’s driver’s license had been revoked due to a prior 2018 driving under the influence conviction, and she was driving without the mandatory ignition interlock device.
Walsh said, “The defendant’s actions on that day not only caused the death of a Rockland County resident but also shattered a family. Traffic laws exist to protect both drivers and pedestrians. DiPaola’s failure to adhere to those laws has left lasting consequences.”
The case was prosecuted by Supervising Assistant District Attorney Meghan Garvey and Executive Assistant District Attorney Michael Dugandzic.