A former New York Police Department sergeant has been sentenced to three to nine years in prison for his role in the death of a fleeing suspect who crashed his motorized scooter after being struck by a picnic cooler full of ice and drinks.
Erik Duran, 38, was convicted of manslaughter in connection with the 2023 death of 30-year-old Eric Duprey. The sentence was handed down on Friday, according to the report.
The case centers on an encounter in which Duran threw the cooler at Duprey as he rode away. Duprey then crashed his scooter and died.
Duran said he was trying to protect other officers from the approaching scooter. The court, however, found him responsible for the fatal outcome of the incident.
The sentencing makes Duran the first former NYPD officer to receive a prison term for an on-duty death in at least two decades, according to the source report.
The case has drawn attention to the use of force during police pursuits and the consequences that can follow when an attempt to stop a suspect turns deadly. It also marks a rare instance of a former NYPD officer being jailed over an on-duty death.
Duprey’s death occurred in 2023, and Duran’s manslaughter conviction was followed by the prison sentence this week. The judge imposed a term of three to nine years, meaning Duran could serve up to nine years behind bars.
The Guardian report did not provide additional details about the broader investigation or any further statements from the court beyond the sentence and conviction.
