West Babylon woman arrested in fatal hit-run, police say

A West Babylon woman was arrested Friday and charged in connection with a hit-and-run auto accident that killed a Centereach woman last month, Suffolk County police said.

Brenda Alvarenga, 27, was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, police said.

Alvarenga was the driver who struck and killed Gina Paduano, 33, at about 5:15 a.m. on March 7 on Route 347 in Stony Brook, police said.

Paduano was in the westbound lanes when she was struck. She was pronounced dead at the scene. After hitting Paduano, Alvarenga fled, police said. 

Alvarenga was placed on supervised release Friday following her arraignment in front of Judge Stephen Ukeiley at First District Court in Central Islip, said her lawyer Robert Zuflacht of Carle Place.

Zuflacht said his client “will do whatever she will need to do to prove her innocence.”

“We all give all condolences for the loss of life that occurred,” he said.  

With Keldy Ortiz

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

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.”