Developer Sean Ludwick could spend more than two decades in prison after a Suffolk County grand jury indicted him on numerous charges following the fatal crash that killed Douglas Elliman broker Paul Hansen in August, the district attorney’s office said Tuesday.
The co-founder of BlackHouse Development is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 4 on nine criminal charges — three counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, one count each of vehicular manslaughter in the first and second degrees, one count of leaving the scene of an accident, two counts of driving while intoxicated and one count of aggravated driving while intoxicated.
The vehicular manslaughter charge alone carries a prison term of eight to 25 years, according to the DA’s office.
Ludwick, 42, is free on a $1 million bond after he allegedly crashed his Porsche in the early morning hours of Aug. 31 into a utility pole near the Sag Harbor home of Hansen, who was partially ejected from the car, according to police reports.
Ludwick, who has a colorful history of curious behavior, then allegedly fled the scene and was wobbly when the police found him down the street, authorities said. Officials say Ludwick and Hansen were drinking at a bar prior to the fatal crash.
In addition to the criminal charges, Ludwick faces a civil suit from Hanson’s widow.