Woman sentenced to 20+ years in hit-and-run death of NYPD officer
QUEENS - A Long Island woman convicted of aggravated manslaughter in the death of a NYC police detective killed on the Long Island Expressway years ago was sentenced Wednesday.
Jessica Beauvais, of Hempstead, was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison in the 2021 death of 43-year-old Anastasios Tsakos.
Beauvais's blood alcohol content was nearly twice the legal limit two hours after striking Detective Tsakos.
The 14-year veteran of the NYPD was struck and killed while assisting officers at the scene of another fatal crash on the expressway in Queens. This happened hours before Beauvais hosted a podcast that was posted on Facebook. In it, she directed expletives at police officers and sipped drinks.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Beauvais, 34, was intoxicated, high and driving with a suspended license. She fled but was arrested a short time later.
"Her license had been suspended, she was drunk and had smoked marijuana. For everyone’s safety and wellbeing, including her own, the defendant should not have been behind the wheel of
a car." Attorney Katz said.
NY woman indicted in death of cop
Jessica Beauvais made a brief court appearance on Tuesday in connection to an indictment on manslaughter, homicide, leaving the scene of an accident, and other charges. She is accused of plowing her car into P.O. Anastasios Tsakos, who was directing traffic on the Long Island Expressway.
The 43-year-old detective was struck around 2 a.m. on April 27, 2021, while standing next to his police car.
Tsakos lived with his wife and two children in East Northport. Neighbors remembered him as a doting father who parked his car at the foot of his driveway to prevent his kids from running into the street.
Beauvais was convicted following a 13-day trial in October of aggravated manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise sentenced Beauvais to 20 years in prison on the aggravated manslaughter charge; and to two-and-one-third to seven years in prison for leaving the scene of an incident. The sentences are to run consecutively, followed by five years post-release supervision.