Hempstead pedestrian struck by 2 vehicles dies, cops say

A Hempstead man died Saturday night after he was struck by two vehicles in succession while attempting to cross a town street, Nassau police said.

Alejandro Chamale Top, 38, was crossing Clinton Street near the intersection of Dartmouth Street about 8 p.m. when a southbound 2012 Dodge Durango driven by a 46-year-old woman struck him, according to the police. A 2008 Acura MDX driven by a 19-year-old man then hit Top a second time, the police said.

A Northwell ambulance paramedic pronounced Top dead at the scene, according to police.

The Nassau police homicide squad is investigating.

According to a Newsday analysis, Long Island traffic fatalities last year hit the highest levels since 2015 because of a surge in dangerous driving post-pandemic and a drop in police traffic enforcement.

Deaths have continued to rise this year, with a 22% increase in traffic fatalities through August compared to the same period last year in Nassau and Suffolk counties. In one 24-hour stretch that month, separate crashes on Long Island roads claimed the lives of six people, including a 72-year-old woman who was hit while crossing the street, and three children aged 6, 10 and 13.

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers personal finance and affordability for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.