Mactyme Michel of Valley Stream indicted on count of criminally negligent homicide in death of Gerrin Hagen of Long Beach, DA says

A 19-year-old Valley Stream driver has been indicted on a charge of fatally striking a skateboarder in Westbury earlier this year, Nassau County prosecutors said Tuesday. 

Mactyme Michel, 19, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Monday in Nassau County Court in Mineola to one count of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Gerrin Hagen, 18, of Long Beach, prosecutors said. 

Judge Christopher Hoefenkrieg released Michel to pretrial services. 

“Gerrin Hagen’s life was tragically cut short when this defendant allegedly ran through a stop sign and struck the young man, who was riding on a skateboard,” Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. “Hagen was a talented ice hockey and lacrosse player who was beloved by the entire Long Beach community. We continue to mourn with his family members, friends, and classmates as we prosecute this case.” 

Michel's attorney, Mineola-based Anthony Grandinette, issued a written statement addressing the indictment.

"The accused, 19-year-old Mactyme Michel and his family, despair in the grief of the Hagen family’s loss and my client remains burdened with a heavy heart," he wrote. 

Grandinette said the evidence points to "a tragic auto accident, and not a crime." He said his client called 911 to report the accident to police and remained at the scene, cooperating with police. He said neither drugs nor alcohol played a role in this case.

Hagen was skateboarding on Cantiague Lane near Sunnyside Lane in Westbury on Jan. 12 at about 2:25 p.m. when Michel, who was driving a 2012 Honda Pilot northwest, allegedly drove around a vehicle driving in front of him and continued driving without stopping at a stop sign, prosecutors said. 

Michel, while still on the left side of the road, then allegedly struck Hagen from behind as he was riding his skateboard from a Nassau BOCES location to his car.

Hagen died the next day at Nassau University Medical Center.

Hagen, who was a Long Beach High School senior and a student at Nassau BOCES, played lacrosse and was a star hockey defenseman. 

Michel is due back in court on August 21.

If convicted, he faces up to 1-1/3 to 4 years in prison.

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.