What Happened
Felix Pantaleon, 24, of Lindenhurst pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree manslaughter and five related charges after driving approximately 121 mph westbound on the Southern State Parkway in North Babylon, rear-ending a vehicle driven by Reynaldo Collado, 49, of West Babylon, and killing him on Sept. 22, 2024, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
The crash happened at approximately 10:30 p.m. Pantaleon was behind the wheel of a 2014 Honda Civic. Collado was driving a 2009 Honda CR-V with four passengers aboard.
According to court records and Pantaleon’s own admissions during the guilty plea, he was speeding, cutting off other motorists, and weaving between lanes before he slammed into the rear of Collado’s CR-V. The force of the collision sent both vehicles off the roadway. Collado’s CR-V went into the woods along the right shoulder. Pantaleon’s Civic struck the median barrier first, then also careened into the woods. Collado was pronounced dead at the scene.
Data pulled from the Civic’s Event Data Recorder confirmed the 121 mph figure, prosecutors said. Pantaleon also admitted to that speed during the plea proceeding. Shore News Network reported that prosecutors said Pantaleon had used his cellphone to record himself driving in the same reckless manner in the period before impact. The DA’s office did not confirm whether the recording was still running at the moment of the collision.
One passenger in Collado’s CR-V suffered fractures to the vertebrae and pelvis and required treatment at a rehabilitation facility. Three other occupants were taken to local hospitals with injuries, according to prosecutors.
Pantaleon appeared before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski and entered guilty pleas to six counts: one count of second-degree manslaughter, a Class C felony; one count of second-degree assault, a Class D felony; three counts of third-degree assault; and one count of reckless driving. Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Rosenheck of the Vehicular Crime Bureau prosecuted the case. The New York State Police investigated.
“This defendant’s egregious actions killed another innocent driver,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement. “Vehicles become lethal weapons in the hands of those who treat them like toys.”
Pantaleon is represented by attorney Vincent Bianco. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 23, 2026.
Location & Road Context
The westbound lanes of the Southern State Parkway in North Babylon were the scene of the Sept. 22, 2024, collision. The parkway runs east-west across the south shore of Suffolk and Nassau counties and carries heavy commuter and recreational traffic. According to Long Island Traffic’s incident registry, the corridor has recorded 225 incidents so far in 2026, with 61 in the past 30 days alone. The most recent prior fatal crash on the Southern State Parkway in the registry was logged Aug. 7, 2026.
Two additional crashes on the Southern State Parkway were recorded on Sept. 5 and Sept. 4, both classified as minor.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The case was investigated by the New York State Police and prosecuted by ADA Jeffrey Rosenheck of the Suffolk County DA’s Vehicular Crime Bureau. Nearly two years elapsed between the September 2024 crash and Thursday’s guilty plea.
Pantaleon faces four to 12 years in state prison. He returns to court Oct. 23, 2026, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Pilewski for sentencing on the second-degree manslaughter conviction and the five accompanying counts.
Broader Impact
Second-degree manslaughter under New York Penal Law § 125.15 carries a maximum sentence of 15 years as a Class C felony. The expected sentencing range of four to 12 years reflects the terms negotiated as part of Pantaleon’s plea agreement, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.