LI Grandmother Charged In Fatal Gas Station DWAI Appears In Court

SHIRLEY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Long Island woman who prosecutors say was under the influence during a fatal gas station crash in Suffolk County appeared in court Friday.

According to prosecutor Ray Varulo, a blood test revealed Renee McKinney, 53,  had cocaine, fentanyl and alcohol in her system when she passed out behind the wheel of her 2002 Nissan Altima and crashed into a gas pump at a station off William Floyd Parkway in Shirley on Jan. 14.

Rosalie Koenig, 62, also of Mastic, was pumping gas on the other side and became pinned between the pump and her 2014 Nissan Frontier. She was taken to an area hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

"Unfortunately this is another case where drugs gets in the way and she has been in and out of jail a period of time and on this day she was overdosed," Varulo said. 

Varulo said McKinney has a criminal history dating back to 1984.

"She is a mother and a grandmother, she intends to vigorously defend the charge," McKinney's lawyer Pierre Bazile said.

If convicted, McKinney could face 15 years-to-life in prison.