Glenn Klimpel faces DWI charge after hitting bicyclist crossing against light in Islandia, police say

Police at the scene where a Ronkonkoma man hit and seriously injured a bicyclist on Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. Credit: Stringer News Service
A Ronkonkoma man was arraigned Friday on a charge that he was driving drunk when he hit and seriously injured a bicyclist, Suffolk County police said.
Glenn Klimpel, 54, was driving a 2008 Honda CR-V south in the left lane of Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia when he hit the bicyclist “who was crossing against a steady red signal light” at about 7:15 p.m. Thursday, police said.
The bicyclist, who was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he is listed in serious condition, was crossing from Suffolk Avenue onto Veterans Memorial Highway, police said in a news release.
His identity was withheld pending notification of family.
Klimpel was released on $5,000 bail and a blood sample was taken, said his attorney, William Petrillo of Garden City.
“It will be clear that he was not drunk,” the attorney said, adding that the bicyclist had the red light.
Klimpel “stopped, got out and called 911 and rendered aid to the person on the bicycle,” Petrillo said.
Detectives are continuing their investigation and ask anyone with information about the crash to call the Fourth Squad detectives at 631-854-8452.
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