Former Bedford lawyer sentenced to 2 to 6 years in deadly DWI crash

Robert Schuster pleaded guilty in August to aggravated vehicular homicide in connection the 2019 drunk driving crash.

News 12 Staff

Dec 15, 2021, 12:19 PM

Updated 1,030 days ago

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Calling him a disgrace to the law profession, a Westchester County judge sentenced Bedford attorney Robert Schuster to two to six years in state prison for driving drunk and taking the life of Mount Kisco resident Diego Trejo.
It was an emotional day in court as two of Trejo's sisters read victim impact statements about the unimaginable grief their family has suffered since their 22-year-old brother was struck down by Schuster nearly two years ago.
Prosecutors say the 53-year-old defense attorney was driving drunk after a holiday party on Dec. 16, 2019 and was speeding at about 94 mph on Route 172 near Darlington Road in Bedford. His car crossed the double yellow line into traffic and struck Trejo's vehicle head-on. Trejo was killed in the accident, along with his dog.
Family members say Schuster never apologized to them or showed remorse for what happened. Schuster's lawyer says he advised him not to because of the pending legal case.
Before being taken away in handcuffs, Schuster did apologize to the Trejo family and said there are no words that can express his sorrow.
But the family wasn't buying his apology. " I don't believe it came from his heart, or we would have forgiven him a long time ago. We don't feel that it was true. But God bless him," saidMaria Trejo, Diego's mother.
Prosecutors had wanted five to 15 years behind bars for Schuster, but the judge imposed a previously agreed upon sentence of two to six years after the lawyer pleaded guilty to the crime.
Schuster's law license has also been revoked.