Rand Strollo, of Amityville, charged with DWI in crash that killed Mario Matute, of Copiague
Suffolk County police on the scene where a pedestrian was struck and killed by an alleged DWI driver on Great Neck Road at Malta Street in Copiague on Wednesday night. Credit: Paul Mazza
An Amityville man was charged on Wednesday night with driving while intoxicated after Suffolk police said he struck and killed a pedestrian.
Police said Rand Strollo, 62, was driving a Hyundai Tucson about 11:20 p.m., heading south on Great Neck Road in Copiague when he fatally struck Mario Matute, 59, of Copiague.
Matute was walking on Great Neck Road at the intersection with Malta Street, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police charged Strollo with misdemeanor DWI and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Prosecutors said he was found with cocaine.
Police impounded the Hyundai for a safety check.
Strollo pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip. Judge Evan Tanenbaum set bail at $50,000 cash or $100,000 insured bond.
Prosecutors had requested bail set at $500,000 cash or $1 million bond. He is due back in court Monday.
Strollo's court-assigned attorney could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Police are asking anyone with information to call Major Case detectives at 631-852-6553.
More coverage: In 2023, 222 people died in Long Island car crashes. Suffolk has led the state in the total number of traffic fatalities for at least a decade, while Nassau has ranked second deadliest in six of the past 10 years, a recent Newsday analysis found.
More coverage: In 2023, 222 people died in Long Island car crashes. Suffolk has led the state in the total number of traffic fatalities for at least a decade, while Nassau has ranked second deadliest in six of the past 10 years, a recent Newsday analysis found.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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