Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the prison sentence of CARY BROWN, 30, and MARCOS VEGA-PAGAN, 26, for a hit-and-run on the Henry Hudson Parkway that killed 42-year-old Joel Quintana, a father of six. Both defendants pleaded guilty to Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting and Criminally Negligent Homicide. VEGA-PAGAN was sentenced today to 3 2/3-to-11 years in prison. BROWN was sentenced on February 26 to 3-to-9 years in prison. 

“This was a horrific tragedy that has left a family with six children continuing to grieve,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Accountability for out-of-control driving is an important component of achieving overall public safety. When people fail to follow the rules of the road, it puts the well-being of everyone who goes about their day in Manhattan at risk.”

On August 3, 2023, at approximately 10:50 p.m., BROWN and VEGA-PAGAN were racing in their cars southbound on the Henry Hudson Parkway. As admitted in the defendants’ guilty pleas, on August 3, 2023, at approximately 10:50 p.m., VEGA-PAGAN slammed his BMW into Mr. Quintana, who was riding his motorcycle to work, near West 145th Street. Mr. Quintana was thrown onto the road and BROWN then ran him over. Both BROWN and VEGA-PAGAN sped away from the scene.

The next day, VEGA-PAGAN contacted State Farm falsely claiming that the damage to his vehicle occurred when his car was struck while parked.

Assistant D.A.s Taylor Holland and Andrea Kimmel handled the prosecution of the case, under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Harrison Schweiloch and Annie Siegel (Deputy Chiefs of Trial Bureau 60) and Charles Whitt (Chief of Trial Bureau 60), and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Assistant D.A. Jill Hoexter, Analyst John Everett, Investigator Luis Chuquiralao and Freddy Surarato from HTAU also assisted with the case.  

D.A. Bragg thanked NYPD Officer Ronny Valdez and Detectives Ramon Pina and Gregory Gianacopulos.

Defendant Information: 

CARY BROWN

Brooklyn, NY 

Charged: 

• Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting Causing Death, a class D felony, one count 
• Criminally Negligent Homicide, a class E felony, one count 

Sentenced:

• 3-to-9 years in prison

MARCOS VEGA-PAGAN

New York, NY 

Charged: 

• Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting Causing Death, a class D felony, one count 
• Criminally Negligent Homicide, a class E felony, one count 

Sentenced:

• 3 2/3-to-11 years in prison

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