Derrick Kindle charged with DWI in crash that killed Gerald Smith, police say
The scene on Middle Country Road, east of Country Club Drive in Coram, Monday, following a fatal DWI crash that killed a pedestrian. Credit: James Carbone
A Middle Island man was arrested and charged with drunk driving following a crash that killed a 68-year-old man late Sunday night in Coram, Suffolk County police said.
Police said Derrick Kindle, 30, was driving a 2008 Nissan Sentra eastbound on Middle Country Road, east of Country Club Drive, when he struck a man crossing the road at about 11:50 p.m.
The pedestrian, whose indentity was initially withheld pending notification of next of kin, was later identified by police as Gerald Smith, of Farmingville. Police said he died at the scene.
Following an investigation by Sixth Precinct officers, police said Kindle was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.
It was not immediately clear if Kindle was represented by counsel. He was held overnight and is scheduled for arraignment Monday in First District Court in Central Islip.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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