Queens Man Sentenced for Deadly Drugged Driving Crash That Killed His Sister and Friend

Jaden D’Souza, a 20-year-old man from Queens, has been sentenced to up to 18 years in state prison following a high-speed, drugged driving crash on Long Island that killed his sister and her best friend.

The sentencing took place at the Nassau County Supreme Court in Mineola, where Judge Caryn Fink presided over the case. D’Souza was convicted on charges including vehicular manslaughter.

The January 2025 Collision

The incident occurred on Jan. 12, 2025, at approximately 11 p.m. D’Souza was driving a 2016 Dodge Dart eastbound on the Southern State Parkway near Exit 30.

Passengers in the vehicle included D’Souza’s 21-year-old sister, Haily D’Souza and 23-year-old Crystal Alba-Figueroa, both of whom were seated in the back. A fourth passenger, a 23-year-old male, sat in the front seat.

Prosecutors stated that D’Souza was traveling at a high rate of speed and weaving in and out of lanes before losing control of the car. The vehicle drove off the road and crashed into a tree on the grassy shoulder.

Haily D’Souza and Crystal Alba-Figueroa died on impact. The male passenger survived the crash but suffered a traumatic brain injury and other life-long injuries.

Evidence and Prosecution

The prosecution presented video evidence to demonstrate the speed of the vehicle. This included cellphone footage recorded by Haily D’Souza and dashcam video from another motorist that showed D’Souza speeding past their car seconds before the collision. The other vehicle was subsequently struck by a tire that flew off D’Souza’s car during the crash.

Katie Zizza, the deputy bureau chief of vehicular crimes for the Nassau County District Attorney’s office, characterized the event as the result of deliberate and dangerous choices by the defendant, specifically citing the decision to drive at outrageous speeds while high.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Defense attorney Donald Rollock noted that D’Souza had no prior criminal history and described him as a kid who messed up badly. Rollock argued that while accountability is necessary, there must also be forgiveness for a family that has already lost one member and is now seeing another go to prison.

Rollock also used the proceedings to call for increased safety measures on highways, suggesting the installation of speed readers and cameras, as well as the seizure of vehicles from repeat offenders.

Judge Caryn Fink described the case as heartbreaking all around, noting the loss of two innocent lives, the permanent injury of one person, and the imprisonment of a fourth young person.

D’Souza was sentenced to up to 18 years in state prison. According to Rollock, the defendant will be eligible for parole after serving six years.

Victim Impact

During the sentencing, Zizza read a victim impact statement prepared by Yajaira Figueroa, the mother of Crystal Alba-Figueroa.

Crystal was not only my daughter, she was my entire life, I trust that this court will consider the value of her life in the pain her absence has caused.

Yajaira Figueroa

Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly stated that she hopes the sentence serves as a warning to those who drive recklessly or race cars, noting the permanent disability of the surviving passenger.