Nanuet man sentenced to 1 year for fatal crash involving teens
Castro, 47, pleaded guilty in July, for his role in the crash that killed 17-year-old Altin Nezaj, of Pearl River, and 15-year-old Saniha Cekic, of Brooklyn.
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Jason Castro, the Nanuet man who pleaded guilty to two counts of criminally negligent homicide for killing two teens in an October 2019 crash, was sentenced Tuesday morning to a year in Rockland County Jail.
Castro, 47, pleaded guilty in July, for his role in the crash that killed 17-year-old Altin Nezaj, of Pearl River, and 15-year-old Saniha Cekic, of Brooklyn.
The teens’ parents spoke in court before Castro was sentenced.
"My life became a hell,” said Began Cekic, Saniha’s father.
"I never got to say goodbye to him,” said Syzana Nezaj, Altin’s mother.
Prosecutors say on that day, Castro was driving 90 mph in his Volkswagen Jetta on Route 304 in Pearl River. The speed limit there is 55.
He merged into the left lane and hit a Porsche that 17-year-old Aisha Radoncic was driving with her two teen passengers. That vehicle ended up going off the road and landing near the train tracks below. Radoncic survived.
Authorities allege the two drivers were racing. Charges against Radoncic, which included criminally negligent homicide and misdemeanor counts, were handled in Family Court because of her age.
Castro prepared a written apology that was read by his defense attorney.
"I'm incredibly remorseful for what I've done,” said David Narain as he read from Castro’s statement. “I take this mistake everywhere I am."
News 12 spoke with the victims’ families outside of the courthouse about their children.
"We love Altin,” said Jeff Nezaj, Altin’s father. “We will always have him in our memories."
“She was the sunshine of my life,” said Began.
Began also wants there to be a change for stiffer sentences.
News 12 is told that the Nezaj family has recently settled civil cases with both drivers.
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