Yonkers man sentenced to 1 ½ years for fatal hit-and-run of 16-year-old
The victim, Christopher Jack Hackett, a student at Archbishop Stepinac High School, was riding his scooter along McLean Avenue when the fatal collision occurred.
A Yonkers man who admitted to killing a 16-year-old in a drunk driving hit-and-run was sentenced Thursday morning at the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains.
Stephen Dolan, of Yonkers, received a sentence of 1 1/2 years following his admission to the fatal hit-and-run of Christopher Hackett.
Judge James McCarty cited Dolan's display of remorse, acceptance of responsibility and lack of a prior criminal record in his decision not to impose the maximum sentence outlined in the plea deal, which was 4 1/2 years.
Dolan will be eligible for parole in 1 1/2 years. Upon release, Dolan faces a one-year license suspension and must have an interlock device installed in his vehicle for three years while on probation.
Family members and former classmates of Hackett were present, hoping for a more severe sentence. Michele Kern, Hackett's aunt, delivered a poignant victim impact statement, leaving many in tears as she recounted the tragic day in August 2022 when Hackett was struck by Dolan while riding a scooter with a friend. Dolan, who had been drinking all night, failed to stop and claimed he thought he hit a traffic cone.
Kern shared her family's heartbreak outside the courthouse, expressing their hope for a longer sentence and emphasizing the profound loss they have endured. "My family is just heartbroken. We were hoping that justice would be served and that he would be in longer, in prison longer, more than just potentially a year and a half. A child's life was stolen. It's just crazy."
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