Alberto Plasencia, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree manslaughter in an incident in which he reportedly threw a large piece of asphalt off a bridge and at McSweeney's car.
McSweeney was driving with her 87-year-old mother in the front passenger seat and was struck by the asphalt that crashed through the driver’s side windshield. The asphalt struck McSweeney on the left side of her head, according to the release.
The car traveled about one-third of a mile, veering onto the right shoulder for 800 feet, striking a shoulder guardrail support beam, veering back onto the shoulder, traveling across the Bronx River Parkway split and ultimately into a wooded area near the Desmond Avenue off ramp, according to the release.
Both the victim and her mother were transported to Jacobi Hospital. Marie McSweeney was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Police investigated the incident but made no arrests at the time.
In 2009, based on new information, Yonkers homicide and cold case detectives reopened the case, putting significant resources into the investigation.
Plasencia was subsequently arrested by Yonkers cold case detectives.
Plasencia will be sentenced on Aug. 19.
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