Ballston Spa

A pre-trial hearing has been delayed for a month in the criminal case against Dennis Drue, 22, of Halfmoon who faces 52 felonies among 59 criminal charges stemming from a Dec. 1, 2012 crash on the Northway that killed two Shenendehowa High School students and injured two others.

The hearing that was scheduled to begin on Tuesday has been adjourned to Aug. 16 by Saratoga County Judge Jerry Scarano after a request by Drue's defense attorney, Stephen Coffey, who cited a conflict with another trial.

It is the first adjournment in the case and for a routine reason that is of no special concern, said Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III.

The hearing is known as a Huntley hearing and it will determine whether statements Drue made to police were admissible as evidence. No trial date has been set and the discovery period in this type of case is typically lengthy.

Murphy's office contends that Drue was impaired by alcohol and marijuana at the time of the crash.

A blood sample taken from Drue showed he had alcohol in his system, but not enough to charge him with driving while intoxicated, investigators said.

Coffey has maintained his client's innocence and earlier said Drue had a few drinks but was not drugged or intoxicated at the time of the deadly crash.

The most serious charges against Drue are several counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter, which could result in a prison sentence of up to 25 years if he is convicted.

Prosecutors say Drue rear-ended Shenendehowa senior Chris Stewart's Ford Explorer, sending the SUV careening across three lanes of traffic, killing Stewart and fellow Shen senior Deanna Rivers and seriously injuring Matt Hardy, a Shen junior and River's boyfriend, and Bailey Wind, a Shaker High School senior and Stewart's girlfriend.

pgrondahl@timesunion.com • 518-454-5623 • @PaulGrondahl