Driver: Not guilty to fleeing fatal crash

A Massapequa Park man pleaded not guilty Sunday to charges that he fled the scene of a hit-and-run accident that killed a pedestrian in Bellmore.

Ryan P. Quinn, 45, stood quietly next to his attorney during his arraignment at the Nassau County First District Court in Hempstead.

Quinn was released on $10,000 bail, and his driver's license was suspended for 30 days until a judge reconsiders reinstating his driving privileges.

He faces a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident with death.

Nassau police said he struck and killed Anthony J. DeRosa, 64, of Floral Park, on Sunrise Highway in Bellmore on Friday night.

Saturday afternoon, Quinn turned himself in to Nassau police at the department's Mineola headquarters, police said.

More than a dozen members of Quinn's family showed up to the hearing yesterday morning to show their support.

All questions on the matter were referred to his Mineola-based attorney, Marc Gann.

Gann said Quinn is remorseful about the crash and is fully cooperating with police. He would not discuss the aftermath of the crash.

"He's distraught and feels terrible for the deceased and the deceased's family," said Gann after the hearing. "It's just a tragedy all around."

According to police, DeRosa was walking across Sunrise Highway near Washington Avenue in Bellmore about 9:20 p.m. Friday, when he was struck by a dark-colored vehicle traveling east in the left lane.

The accident shut down the westbound and eastbound lanes of Sunrise Highway for nearly four hours.

Quinn is due in Nassau County Court in Mineola on May 11.