Defendant: Christian Walczyk (DOB 02/04/96)

Nov. 28, 2018 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced that Christian Walczyk, of Lagrangeville, NY, was sentenced to 14 years in state prison in the stabbing death of Daniel Siino in a road rage incident in May 2017. Westchester County Court Judge Barry Warhit presided and ordered the defendant to have no contact of any kind with the Siino family. Walczyk pleaded guilty in September to Manslaughter in the First Degree, a class B felony.

Background
On May 27, 2017, at approximately 10:25 p.m., Daniel “Danny” Siino (the victim) and his wife were driving southbound on the Taconic State Parkway in their Acura SUV when they encountered Walczyk who was also headed southbound in his BMW sedan. At some point, Walczyk’s vehicle pulled in front of Siino’s and braked suddenly, forcing Siino to brake hard as well. Siino then tried to pass, but Walczyk did not allow it.  After that, both drivers pulled their cars onto the shoulder of the Taconic State Parkway just north of the Briarcliff Manor exit. Siino got out of his car and walked toward Walczyk’s vehicle. Then Walczyk got out of his car, brandishing a fake police badge while concealing a folding knife behind his back.

When the two were face to face, Walczyk stabbed Siino twice in the chest. In the course of the attack, Walczyk accidentally sliced his own finger on the blade.

Siino returned to his vehicle and told his wife he was stabbed. She helped him into the passenger seat, then drove away and called 911. He died further down the highway where the wife eventually pulled over.

Walczyk drove off and called 911 claiming he had been a victim of a stabbing. He was located and transported to the hospital where he received treatment for his injury. Walczyk was taken to the New York State Police barracks in Hawthorne where he was placed under arrest. A Westchester County Grand Jury indicted Walczyk in October 2017. 

Today in Court
Members of the victim’s family expressed the impact of Siino’s death on them. The victim’s brother, Joseph Siino, and his sister, Melissa Siino, spoke to the court on behalf of the Siino’s wife and extended family including the victim’s toddler daughter who was 15 months old when her father was killed. Ms. Siino told the court of their loss that a “piece of us died that night on the cold pavement” along with him. But she said their concern is mostly for the little girl. She told the defendant, “Your selfish and cruel action denied her her father.”

Upon sentencing, Judge Warhit told the defendant, “You took so much from his daughter.” Calling Walczyk’s actions “brazen” and an “ego issue,” he added, “You destroyed a family and took a life.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nicholas DiCostanzo of the Superior Court Trial Division. 

photo of Christian Walczyk in court

Christian Walczyk in court

 In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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