Yorktown Man Indicted in Fatal Wrong-Way Crash
A Yorktown man was indicted Monday for a wrong-way crash in December on Route 9 in Peekskill that caused the death of an Ossining woman.
Mark Cope, 41, could face a maximum of 25 years in state prison if convicted on the 11 charges contained in the indictment, which include aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault and driving while intoxicated.
“This horrible tragedy cost a woman her life and a daughter her mother due to Mark Cope’s decision to selfishly get behind the wheel of his car while intoxicated,” said Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah said. “This is why the District Attorney’s Office will continue to hold accountable reckless drivers and seek justice for victims and families who suffer this terrible heartache.”
According to Rocah, on December 23, 2020, at approximately 9:07 p.m., Cope drove northbound in the southbound lane on Route 9 in Peekskill when he crashed head-on into a car driven by Ossining resident Shina McClam, 32.
Cope had a blood alcohol content above the legal limit at the time of the collision. McClam died at the scene. McClam’s six-year-old daughter and 18-year-old niece, who were passengers in the car, suffered non-life-threatening injuries from the crash and were transported to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. Both spent one week in the hospital.
New York State Police arrested Cope the night of the crash and conducted the subsequent investigation.
Cope faces a jail sentence ranging from a minimum of 1 to 3 years to a maximum of 8 1/3 to 25 years.
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