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Driver Who Killed Cyclist on City Island Bridge Pleads Guilty to Homicide

A motorist who fatally struck a woman riding a bike on the City Island Bridge pled guilty to felony leaving the scene and homicide.
Gabriela Aguilar-Vallinos
Gabriela Aguilar-Vallinos

A motorist who fatally struck a woman riding a bike on the City Island Bridge pled guilty to felony leaving the scene and homicide.

Gabriela Aguilar-Vallinos was on her way home from work at around 11:45 p.m. on September 11, 2015, when Michael Moreno hit her with a Hyundai sedan, then left the scene.

Aguilar-Vallinos sustained head trauma and died at Jacobi Hospital. She was 27.

Former Bronx DA Robert Johnson charged Moreno with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and felony leaving the scene. The case was disposed by Johnson’s successor Darcel Clark.

The top charge against Moreno — manslaughter — is a class C felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Last week Moreno pled guilty to leaving the scene and homicide, class D and E felonies, respectively.

A more severe charge than homicide under state law, class D leaving the scene carries penalties ranging from probation to seven years in prison.

Moreno is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

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Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York'’s dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

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