Cops: Santos Aguirre of Copiague killed in Amityville after he's hit by 2 hit-and-run drivers; 1 charged, another sought
Authorities cordon off the scene of a fatal crash in Amityville Sunday night where the victim was struck by two alleged hit-and-run drivers, police said. Credit: Paul Mazza
An Amityville woman is facing driving while intoxicated and other charges and police searched Monday for a second motorist who allegedly fled the scene Sunday night after a pedestrian was struck by two vehicles in the village and died, Suffolk police said.
The pedestrian, Santos Aguirre, 47, of Copiague, was walking across Route 110 near Albany Avenue when a southbound vehicle struck him, police said. He was hit again a short time later by a northbound 2020 Land-Rover at about 11:45 p.m. Both vehicles fled the scene.
Aguirre was pronounced dead at the scene. He was at least the second pedestrian struck and killed over the holiday weekend on Long Island roadways.
State police later pulled over the Land-Rover on westbound Southern State Parkway near Exit 19 and charged the driver, Danielle Lapersonerie, 26, with driving while intoxicated.
Detectives with the Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit later charged Lapersonerie with leaving the scene of an incident involving fatality.
Lapersonerie was being held at the First Precinct in West Babylon and was scheduled for arraignment Monday at First District Court in Central Islip. A search of a database of court appearances for defendants did not return a result for Lapersonerie so it's unclear if she had been arraigned by late Monday.
Police did not provide a description of the first vehicle to hit Aguirre.
Aguirre's death came a day after a pedestrian was struck and killed crossing Montauk Highway in Water Mill. The pedestrian, identified Monday by Southampton Town Police as Christopher Briscoe, 50, of Water Mill, was hit by a 2019 Nissan sedan about 11 p.m. Saturday while crossing at the Scuttle Hole Road intersection. The driver of the Nissan remained at the scene and Southampton Town police said no criminality was suspected.
In August on Long Island roadways, at least 30 motor vehicle-related fatalities were reported in Suffolk and Nassau counties, according to information released by local police departments.
From 2020 through 2022, Long Island averaged 18.2 roadway fatalities per month, according to the most recent data available from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research. The total number of fatalities on Long Island roads increased each year from 2019 to 2022, the agency reported.
A Newsday analysis in 2021 found that Long Island roads were among New York State's deadliest to walk and bike, but few drivers involved in crashes that killed pedestrians and bicyclists faced criminal charges.
Detectives are asking anyone with information on Sunday's alleged fatal hit and run to contact the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.
With Deborah S. Morris
Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.
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