A 35-year-old Central Islip man was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison after admitting to stabbing his sleeping wife in the back and strangling her.

Rodolfo Alvarez pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempted murder, strangulation and driving while intoxicated.

Prosecutors said that on May 10, 2024, his wife was asleep when Alvarez stabbed her in the back with a kitchen knife and then strangled her until she lost consciousness.

Officials said Alvarez dragged her onto the floor and continued strangling her until a relative knocked on the door and told him police were on their way.

Alvarez fled the scene, and the woman was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Police located Alvarez on Sept. 26, 2024, after he rear-ended and sideswiped his wife's vehicle as she was driving to work, causing his own vehicle to roll over.

Authorities said Alvarez walked away from the crash, but officers found him a short distance away showing signs of intoxication. A blood sample taken about an hour later showed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.22.

Prosecutors say Alvarez had previously been convicted of driving while intoxicated four times, along with several other offenses.

His prison sentence is followed by five years of post-release supervision.