Photo: anurakpong / iStock / Getty Images
Patrick Rohan, 42, has been sentenced to 364 days in Dutchess County Jail for criminally negligent homicide in the death of Ling Hong Nguyen, a 25-year-old Bard College graduate. The incident occurred in Red Hook on May 25, 2024, when Rohan struck Nguyen with his car.
Nguyen had just graduated with a master's degree in piano and planned to pursue a doctorate at Stony Brook University. According to Mid Hudson News, Rohan admitted to hitting Nguyen while driving southbound on Broadway. He left the road and struck her on the sidewalk, resulting in her death at the scene. Rohan was uninjured and cooperated with the investigation.
Initially pleading not guilty, Rohan changed his plea to guilty in March 2025. At his sentencing, he expressed deep remorse, stating, "I’m really, really sorry. I want the family to know that it wasn’t intentional."
Judge Jessica Segal emphasized the tragic nature of the accident, urging Rohan to honor Nguyen's life by staying on the right path after his release. District Attorney Anthony Parisi highlighted the case's heartbreak, noting the void left by Nguyen's death and the accountability reflected in the sentence.
Nguyen's father, residing in Vietnam, expressed the emotional and financial distress caused by her death. He mentioned the cultural expectation for mature children to care for their parents, a responsibility now lost. While seeking punitive damages, he was informed that state law does not allow for such damages in criminal cases.
Rohan's sentence, with credit for time served, will conclude on November 21, 2025.