Cops: Bay Shore man charged after fatal hit and run

Suffolk County police arrested and charged a Bay Shore man late Monday for allegedly leaving the scene of a fatal hit-and-run crash in Patchogue involving two vehicles.

A pedestrian crossing Medford Avenue at Oak Street about 4 a.m. Sunday, Nicholas Puzio, 25, of Farmingville, was struck by a southbound white sedan, according to Suffolk police. About a minute later, police said Sunday, Puzio was struck by a gray Nissan Armada. Both drivers fled the scene.

Puzio was transported to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Suffolk County Major Case Unit detectives later identified Elian Jurado-Zavala, 19, of Bay Shore, as the person allegedly driving a 2014 white Honda Civic that first struck Puzio before failing to stop.

Police arrested Jurado-Zavala at his home Monday. He faces a charge of leaving the scene of an accident with a fatality. 

At his arraignment in Central Islip’s First District Court on Tuesday, his lawyer, Bob Macedonio, of Islip Terrace, said “We’ve entered a plea of not guilty,” adding his client would post bail, which was set at $25,000 cash or a $50,000 bond.

“At four a.m., the deceased was intoxicated and in the middle of the road when he was hit,” Macedonio said, citing the preliminary investigation.

This is his client’s first contact with the criminal justice system; and he has cooperated fully with investigators, he said.

“Pending further investigation on my part and on the part of the prosecutors will determine how this case is resolved,” Macedonio said.

The driver of the Nissan was not identified. 

Puzio was the second Long Island pedestrian to be struck by a hit-and-run driver over the weekend. A 70-year-old woman attempting to cross Sunrise Highway in Massapequa Friday night was struck and critically injured by three vehicles, including one in which the motorist fled the scene, Nassau police said Sunday.

The victim, whose identity was not released, was struck about 9:15 p.m. Friday by a 2017 Chevrolet driven by a 44-year-old man, police said. The driver of a 2020 Hyundai, a 42-year-old man, then swerved to avoid hitting the Chevrolet, striking the woman, according to police.

The drivers of the Chevrolet and the Hyundai both remained at the scene, according to police.

A dark-colored sedan also hit the woman but the driver failed to stop, instead heading westbound on Sunrise Highway, police said.

The woman was taken to a hospital where she was in critical but stable condition Sunday, police said. An update on the victim's condition was not immediately available early Tuesday.

The investigation is continuing and detectives are asking anyone with information to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-8477 (TIPS). All calls are anonymous.

With John Asbury and Joan Gralla