Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Carnage

Driver Pleads to Manslaughter for Killing Washington Heights Pedestrian

Jonatan Segura hit two people at 181st Street and Amsterdam Avenue in January 2016, killing Jorge Encarnacion. Image: Google Maps

A drunk hit-and-run driver who hit two people in Washington Heights in 2016, killing Jorge Encarnacion, has pled guilty to manslaughter.

At around 4:15 a.m. on January 30, Jonatan Segura, then 34, was driving a BMW sedan on 181st Street near Amsterdam Avenue when he hit a pickup truck and struck Encarnacion and an unidentified 46-year-old woman.

Signs of a high-speed collision were evident at the crash site. Photos published by the Daily News show the BMW, a racing sticker affixed to the back window, with extensive damage to the front end and windshield. The crash caused the airbags in the pickup truck to deploy.

Segura fled the scene and later turned himself in to police, according to the News.

Encarnacion, 46, died at Lincoln Hospital. The other pedestrian victim was hospitalized.

Segura was charged with manslaughter, two counts of assault, homicide, leaving the scene, and drunk driving -- all felonies -- in addition to misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor leaving the scene. He pled guilty to all charges last month, according to court records.

Manslaughter, the top charge against Segura, is a class C felony with penalties ranging from probation to 15 years in prison. Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance's office recommended Segura be sentenced to five to 15 years. The judge promised him a sentence of four to 12 years, according to Vance's office.

Segura's sentencing hearing is set for later this month.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Friday’s Headlines: From Hero to Zero Edition

Mayor Mamdani's sympathy for cyclists over the Williamsburg Bridge has yet to trickle down to his NYPD. Plus more news.

January 9, 2026

Bill Watch: New York Still Needs to Commit to Lowering Vehicle Miles Traveled

The state Legislature could use 2026 as a year to find a solution to reducing the number of cars traveling across the state, but it may be more of the same. The post Bill Watch: New York Still Needs to Commit to Lowering Vehicle Miles Traveled appeared...

January 9, 2026

‘Zohramp’ At Williamsburg Bridge Still NYPD Ticket Trap … For Cyclists

Meanwhile, driver after driver blew the adjacent red light with impunity.

January 8, 2026

The ‘Affordability Crisis’ Conversation Can’t Leave Out the Cost of Cars

We can't talk about Americans' empty wallets without talking about our empty buses and sidewalks.

January 8, 2026

What Is A Life Worth In NYC? In Fatal Crashes, Sometimes Just $50

Drivers who kill pedestrians often face minimal punishment, a Streetsblog investigation found.

January 8, 2026
See all posts