Repeat DWI offender charged for fatal Northway crash
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A driver with several DWI convictions and a revoked license is now accused of killing a man in a drunken driving crash.
The crash happened around 10:40 Tuesday night on the Northway between Exits 15 and 16 in Wilton.
State police say a tow truck driver servicing a truck on the side of the road was killed when he was hit by Justin Rodriguez of Moreau.
Rodriguez survived the crash.
The tow truck driver, 33-year-old Alex Bleickhardt of Pottersville died at the scene.
A serious crash the happened around 10:45 p.m. Sept. 15, 2022 between exits 15 and 16 on the Northway.
State police say Rodriguez was headed north, when his car left the road, veered onto the shoulder and hit a broken down box truck, a tow truck and Bleickhardt.
Rodriguez is charged with first-degree vehicular manslaughter and DWI.
NewsChannel 13 has learned that Rodriguez has multiple past convictions for DWI and his license was revoked at the time of Thursday night’s crash.
He was charged by state police in Greenwich in 2005 for DWI. He pleaded down to DWAI and was fined.
Rodriguez was arrested in Fort Edward on a DWI charge in 2010. He pleaded guilty and got a conditional license, meaning he could only drive to and from work.
Then in 2017, Rodriguez was arrested twice – again, both times – for drinking and driving.
His license was revoked in 2018, and he spent 10 months in prison.