LI CRIME BRIEFS

FRANKLIN SQUARE/Driver sought in hit-run

A man was hit by a car as he tried to cross Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square late Wednesday, and police are searching for the driver.

The man, who is 60 and was not identified, was taken by helicopter to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow for treatment of multiple internal injuries, and injuries to his extremities, police said.

A man matching the description of the victim was in critical but stable condition Thursday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The Nassau Police Homicide Unit is investigating the crash, which occurred about 11:15 p.m., just west of Scherer Boulevard. A green sedan traveling east hit the man and the driver fled, police said.

Detectives ask that anyone with information about the crime call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS. Callers remain anonymous.

In a report released last week, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a transportation advocacy group, released its annual study of the region's most dangerous roads for pedestrians. Hempstead Turnpike topped the group's list for the fourth time since 2008. The report found the highway had 15 pedestrian fatalities between 2008 and 2010.

Last month, Newsday published a series of stories about pedestrian safety on Hempstead Turnpike in Nassau County that showed 32 pedestrians were killed along that stretch between 2005 and 2010. At least three more were killed in 2011.

Nearly 430 were injured in almost 460 pedestrian crashes on the 16-mile stretch of Hempstead Turnpike in Nassau, an analysis of police reports said. The latest accident was in that stretch.

-- Keith Herbert

HEAD OF THE HARBOR/Man accused in break-in

A man who distributed fliers for two home improvement companies was arrested Wednesday in Head of the Harbor after a local police officer spotted him with a plastic bag of jewelry, and then later recovered other stolen items from his van, police said.

"A large quantity of stolen items" was recovered from the van of Arlindo DaCruz, 31, of Port Jefferson, who admitted to twice breaking into a house on Rhododendron Road -- the same road he was walking on when police spotted him with the jewelry, Suffolk County police said.

DaCruz said he did house painting and restoration work with F&M Custom Painting Service Corp. and Long Island Finest Painting Service, for whom he also distributed fliers, police said. Detectives are trying to determine DaCruz's connection with the companies, which could not be located Thursday.

He was charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and one count of criminal possession of stolen property. DaCruz was scheduled to appear Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip.

Suffolk detectives are looking to speak with people who may have received fliers promoting the services of F&M Custom Painting Service Corp. and Long Island Finest Painting Service. Anyone with information can contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.

-- Patricia Kitchen

HEMPSTEAD/Tips sought in shooting

Police are searching for the person who fired three gunshots into a home in Hempstead while a man and his two young children were inside.

The incident occurred just before midnight Wednesday on Byrd Street, Nassau County police said. The man, 24, and children, ages 4 months and 7 years, were not injured.

Police ask anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.

-- John Valenti