Nassau cops ID pedestrian struck and killed in Lawrence as Donavan Richardson
Nassau County police have identified a pedestrian struck and killed early Monday in Lawrence as Donavan Richardson, 26.
Homicide detectives charged a Central Islip woman with vehicular manslaughter after police said she struck and killed the pedestrian about 3:30 a.m. Monday on Rockaway Turnpike.
Richardson was homeless, according to police.
Dei Aisha Wynter, 22, of Central Islip, was driving a silver 2022 Tesla sedan, heading south on Rockaway Turnpike when she hit Richardson, according to police.
He was declared dead at the scene by Nassau County police medics.
Wynter remained at the scene of the crash and was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries. She was charged with driving while intoxicated and vehicular manslaughter.
She was arraigned Monday in First District Court in Hempstead and pleaded not guilty. Wynter was ordered held on $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond. She was appointed an attorney by Nassau County Legal Aid, who could not be reached for comment.
Fatal crashes have surged on Long Island over the past decade and increased by more than 22% this year compared to last year in Nassau and Suffolk counties, according to law enforcement data. However, DWI arrests have dropped by 25% from 2022 through 2019.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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