Daughter Of Hit-And-Run Victim Says She Forgives Father's Killer

MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Emotions stirred in a Long Island courtroom Tuesday, as an admitted hit-and-run drunken driver was sentenced.

As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported, Cosmin Florea of Baldwin begged and received forgiveness from the victim's family before he was sentenced to 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison.

Single dad Donald Mooney, 49, of Lynbrook worked two jobs to help pay for his daughter's college education. Now, he will never see his two children walk down the aisle or graduate from college.

"He was my best friend. I spent every moment with him," said Mooney's daughter, Olivia Mooney, 19.

"I will miss him. He was wonderful," said Mooney's son, Nicholas, 24.

Around midnight on Aug. 15, 2014, Mooney was on a coffee break at his second job in Port Washington. He was crossing Main Street holding two cups of coffee – one for himself and one for his coworker at a limo dispatch office – when he was struck and killed by Florea.

Florea has admitted that he was on an alcohol binge and had been smoking marijuana when he jumped behind the wheel. He struck Mooney with such violence that the windshield and bumper cracked.

When he was arrested 45 minutes later in Queens, Florea told police he thought he had hit a deer.

Florea refused to comment to McLogan through his attorney. But standing before the judge, Florea – also the father of a teenage girl – pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, two counts of driving while intoxicated and driving while ability impaired by alcohol and drugs.

"Florea was drunk and high when he struck and killed Donald Mooney, who was just crossing the street to go back to work with cups of coffee for himself and a co-worker," Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said. "Florea thought only of himself after the crash. He fled the scene and made no effort to get help for Mr. Mooney who lay dying in the street. I hope this conviction gives some small measure of comfort to Mr. Mooney's grieving family and friends."

Florea said he would enroll in alcohol and drug advocacy programs while incarcerated. He also said once released, he would work to educate others.

Further, he said he will never forgive himself, and did not expect that the Mooneys would either.

But Olivia Mooney said she forgives Florea because to hold onto anger would be too exhausting.

"I guess I can just say that I do forgive him completely, and he'll learn from this," she told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall. "And my father was an amazing man."

"It was a huge loss that no one could ever possibly see coming," added Nicholas Mooney.

The Mooneys said they cannot recover without compassion for others' mistakes. But they urged the state to enact tougher sentences, as Florea's sentence of 2 1/3 to 7 years was the maximum for the crimes to which he admitted.

"Again, we are here in another unspeakable tragedy, consoling another grieving family, and it's time for the legislature to act so that penalties are enhanced," Singas said.

The Mooney family wished to be spared a trial, so agreed to the plea deal. Florea was taken away in handcuffs after the sentencing hearing, and could be eligible for parole in about two years.

The Mooney and Florea children said they will stand together in the future to help combat drunken driving.