New DA Susan Cacace Issues first Announcement
Stephen Escoffery used a firearm to shoot at a fellow motorist’s vehicle during a motorway dispute.
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced today that defendant Stephen Escoffery, 45, of Waterbury, Conn., was sentenced this morning to 14 years in prison following conviction at trial over a “road rage” dispute on I-95.
In addition to imposing the determinate prison sentence, Judge Maurice Dean Williams sentenced Mr. Escoffery to five years post-release supervision and issued an Order of Protection for the Victim.
Mr. Escoffery was convicted last month by a Westchester County jury of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, and Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree.
D.A. Cacace said: “Motorists on our public roadways expect to navigate traffic, not bullets. It is unacceptable to recklessly endanger the life of a fellow motorist for any reason. So-called “road rage” is never an appropriate response to motorway disputes. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense, and my office is committed to prosecuting incidents such as these that imperil public safety.”
In Dec. 2022, the Victim was driving northbound in the left lane of I-95, in the vicinity of Harrison, N.Y., when Mr. Escoffery, driving a BMW, approached the rear of his vehicle. Following a non-verbal disagreement, Mr. Escoffery then pulled up beside the Victim’s vehicle, waved a pistol at the Victim, and fired it, striking the Victim’s vehicle.
In a victim impact statement read aloud by prosecutors during sentencing, the Victim stated that “the mental damage this incident has caused has been extremely challenging for me.”
“Driving on the highway at night has become an anxiety-ridden experience for me,” the statement continued.
The 14-year sentence applies to the Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree count. Judge Williams provided prison sentences of 2 1/3 to 7 years on each of the remaining counts, however those sentences are to run concurrently with the 14-year term.
This case was investigated by New York State Police Troop K, Hawthorne Barracks. The lead investigator was Investigator Andrew Palladino. D.A. Cacace also commended the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the City of Stamford Police Department, and the Waterbury Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Leigh Wellington and Deputy Chief Christopher Clark, both of the Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau.
