An 18-year-old New York man pleaded guilty Tuesday to vehicular homicide for a deadly joyride in a stolen luxury SUV on Long Island in May 2024. The incident, which was livestreamed on social media, resulted in the death of a 73-year-old woman and serious injury to her passenger.

According to Suffolk County authorities, Matthew Papile was behind the wheel of a stolen 2008 Land Rover on May 4 when he crashed into the rear of a 1994 Toyota Corolla driven by Marion Napolitano in Centereach. At the time of the crash, Papile was 16 years old and reportedly smoking marijuana while broadcasting live online. The impact caused Napolitano’s vehicle to veer off the road and collide with a telephone pole and a tree. Napolitano died at the scene, and her passenger sustained serious injuries.

After the collision, Papile attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by three bystanders, including an off-duty Suffolk County police officer who intervened to detain him. District Attorney Ray Tierney condemned Papile’s actions, characterizing the decision to operate a stolen vehicle under the influence and drive recklessly as “outrageous and utterly unacceptable.” Tierney emphasized the severe consequences of Papile’s conduct, which he described as “selfish” and “lethal.”

Papile, tried as an adult despite being a minor at the time of the offense, faces a prison sentence ranging from six to 18 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 15. The case highlights ongoing concerns about impaired and reckless driving, as well as the dangers posed by social media use while operating vehicles.