Pedestrian struck by car dies; driver arrested on drug charge, cops say

A Ronkonkoma man struck about a week ago by an allegedly drug-impaired driver has died, police said Sunday.

Kevin Hartnett, 26, was walking north on the shoulder of Rosevale Avenue in Nesconset near Smithtown Boulevard, at about 8 p.m. Sept. 29 when he was struck by a 2018 Audi A6 also heading north on the roadway, police said.

Suffolk County police arrested Jesse Santucci, 42, of Centereach, and charged him with driving while impaired by drugs after the crash, which left Hartnett in critical condition, authorities said.

Hartnett was transported by ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital, police said at the time of the crash.

By Craig Schneider

craig.schneider@newsday.comScraigo

Craig Schneider is a Long Island native and Stony Brook University alumnus. He joined Newsday as a general assignment reporter in January 2018 after 20 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.