A former New York City Police Department sergeant, Erik Duran, was sentenced to three to nine years in prison for manslaughter in the 2023 death of Eric Duprey after throwing a picnic cooler at him during a police operation.

Prosecutors said the cooler struck Duprey as he fled on a motorized scooter, causing him to crash into a tree and suffer fatal head injuries.

Duran argued he acted in a split-second to protect other officers, but a judge ruled he was motivated by anger rather than necessity.

The case marks one of the rare instances in recent decades where a former NYPD officer was imprisoned for an on-duty death, The Hill has reported.

Duprey’s family rejected Duran’s apology, while his supporters argued the incident was a tragic, split-second mistake.