Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A Yaphank woman has been sentenced to up to 12 years behind bars for a drunk-driving crash that killed a 75-year-old grandmother on Middle Country Road in Middle Island, according to a News 12 Long Island report published November 8, 2025. The defendant, identified as Melissa Koprowski, was behind the wheel when her vehicle collided head-on with an oncoming SUV, killing one of its passengers and injuring two others — including a toddler.
According to prosecutors, as reported by News 12 Long Island, Koprowski was intoxicated at the time of the head-on collision on Middle Country Road. The crash occurred last year, though the exact date and time of the original incident were not specified in the sentencing report. Koprowski’s vehicle struck the SUV directly in a head-on impact, a particularly violent type of collision that generates tremendous force and frequently results in severe or fatal injuries for occupants of both vehicles.
The victim, Esther Guy, 75, was riding as a passenger inside the SUV at the time of the crash. Guy, described as a grandmother, was killed as a direct result of the collision. Also inside the SUV was the vehicle’s driver and a 2-year-old child — both of whom sustained injuries, though the specific severity of those injuries was not detailed in the report. The loss of Guy has left a family and community grieving in the wake of a crash that prosecutors say was entirely preventable.
Koprowski, who is from Yaphank, entered a guilty plea to charges of manslaughter and driving while intoxicated (DWI) in October 2025, approximately one month before her sentencing. The guilty plea spared the case from going to trial but did not diminish the gravity of the outcome — a grandmother dead, a toddler injured, and a family shattered by an impaired driver’s decision to get behind the wheel. At her sentencing, News 12 Long Island reports, a judge handed down a sentence of up to 12 years in state prison.
The sentencing on November 8, 2025 marked the legal conclusion of a case that began with one of the most dangerous and deadly types of crashes seen on Long Island roadways — a drunk driver crossing into oncoming traffic on a busy commercial corridor. The combination of manslaughter and DWI charges in this case reflects the serious weight New York courts assign to impaired driving fatalities, particularly when a vulnerable victim such as a senior passenger loses their life.
Location & Road Context
Middle Country Road is a heavily traveled east-west arterial route that runs through the heart of Suffolk County, connecting numerous communities including Selden, Centereach, Middle Island, and beyond. The stretch through Middle Island sees a consistent mix of residential and commercial traffic throughout the day and is known for a high volume of vehicles at most hours. Head-on collisions on undivided portions of roads like Middle Country Road are among the most deadly crash configurations, as both vehicles’ speeds combine into the total impact force absorbed by occupants. Drivers and passengers in this area should remain especially vigilant, as the corridor’s length, speed limits, and access points create frequent opportunities for dangerous interactions between vehicles.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Prosecutors handling the case alleged that Melissa Koprowski was drunk at the time of the head-on crash on Middle Country Road, and those allegations were ultimately resolved when Koprowski pleaded guilty to both manslaughter and DWI in October 2025, according to News 12 Long Island. The manslaughter charge directly reflects the death of Esther Guy as a result of Koprowski’s alleged intoxicated driving. On November 8, 2025, a judge formally sentenced Koprowski to up to 12 years in state prison — a sentence that underscores how seriously New York courts treat DWI-related fatalities, especially those involving elderly victims and young children.
The case proceeded from the crash through investigation, charges, a guilty plea, and ultimately sentencing within a relatively focused timeline, suggesting that the evidence against Koprowski was substantial. The presence of a 2-year-old child among the injured in the SUV may have further weighed on proceedings and sentencing considerations, though specific sentencing remarks from the judge were not reported.
Broader Impact
Under New York State law, a DWI manslaughter conviction — particularly when a death results from an impaired driver — can carry significant state prison time, and this case reflects that reality. Koprowski’s sentence of up to 12 years falls within the range that New York courts have applied to aggravated vehicular homicide and second-degree manslaughter cases involving intoxicated drivers who cause fatalities. For Long Island families, this outcome serves as a sobering reminder of the legal — and human — consequences of impaired driving on local roads. Those who have been injured in DWI-related crashes on Long Island can learn more about their legal options at our Know Your Rights resource page.