VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a hit-and-run crash that killed a motorcyclist in May 2021.
According to the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Nghiem Nghi Nguyen, 48, a former resident of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced Wednesday on a charge of hit-and-run resulting in a fatality.
Nguyen pleaded guilty to the charge Dec. 20.
Prosecutors said Nguyen caused a two-vehicle crash on May 28, 2021 near the intersection of Indian River Road and Ferrell Parkway in Virginia Beach. The crash killed motorcyclist Philip Pereira.
Nguyen failed to yield to Pereira, and the motorcycle crashed into the side of Nguyen’s truck.
Pereira was ejected off the motorcycle and died from the impact of hitting the street.
Nguyen left the scene and didn’t render aid to Pereira, call 911 or report the crash to police.
Businesses in the area and the city’s camera system caught the crash on camera. Witnesses also described Nguyen’s vehicle to police. Parts of the truck were found at the crash scene, including a taillight, plastic bumper, and pieces of blue paneling.
An anonymous tip led investigators to a repair shop in Binghamton, New York.
Virginia State Police asked Binghamton officers to talk to the owner of the shop. The owner confirmed Nguyen brought his truck to the shop for repairs shortly after the crash.
He told the owner “I screwed up” and described pulling out from a stop sign and crashing. He said someone died, and that he panicked and left the scene.
Later on, investigators also learned that Nguyen reported the crash to his insurance and admitted he left the scene.
An analysis of Nguyen’s truck revealed the parts left at the crash scene belonged to the same vehicle.
