Police

Mattituck man enters guilty plea in fatal DWI case

A Mattituck man who struck and killed a pedestrian while driving drunk in Riverhead last year has pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and five additional felonies, according to online court records.

Matthew Nemschick, 54, pleaded guilty may 5 to each of the charges in the grand jury indictment related to the Feb. 11, 2021 crash on West Main Street, records show.

The crash left 38-year-old Alexander Lopez Guzman, who police said was homeless, dead.

Mr. Nemschick also pleaded guilty to first-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence, two DWI charges and a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving. Prosecutors said at Mr. Nemschick’s original arraignment that he had been convicted of DWI in 2018.

Mr. Nemschick, who had worked as an electrician at Plum Island, will be sentenced June 9 by Judge Stephen Braslow. The top charge of aggravated vehicular homicide carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

The crash occurred shortly before 10 p.m. near 953 W. Main St. in downtown Riverhead. Police said at the time the victim was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.