Centereach man indicted in fatal hit-and-run in Island Park that killed man moving furniture

A Centereach man was driving drunk last summer when he struck and killed an Island Park mechanic, then fled, and was arrested after he went to claim his disabled car, Nassau County prosecutors said.

Corey Henson, 32, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday in Mineola on charges of second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death, second-degree assault and driving while intoxicated. 

Acting Supreme Court Justice Christopher Hoefenkrieg set bail at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond and suspended Henson's license. If convicted, he faces 7 1/3 to 22 years in prison.

“A 30-year-old man was moving his furniture when he was allegedly struck and killed by this intoxicated defendant,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Corey Henson allegedly fled the scene after killing Dodanim Emanuel Chavez and five miles later struck a guardrail in Freeport, which disabled his vehicle. He was apprehended the following day when he tried to retrieve his vehicle from the tow yard."

Robert Schalk, Henson's Mineola-based defense attorney, said his client has denied the allegations.

"It's very important that there isn't a rush to judgment. There are facts here that potentially refute the district attorney's allegations," Schalk said.

On the evening of July 11, Chavez was moving his belongings into his new Island Park home with the assistance of two friends, prosecutors said. Chavez was standing along the driver’s side of his friend’s pickup truck on Long Beach Road when he was struck by Henson's 2022 Ford Transit Connect van, records show. Henson then fled, officials said.

Chavez sustained severe head trauma and was taken to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside where he was pronounced dead.

Following the collision, Henson crashed his van into a guardrail on South Main Street and the vehicle was towed to a local yard, prosecutors said. 

The next day, a Freeport police officer contacted the Nassau Police about the van after learning of the hit-and-run collision. Henson was arrested when he arrived at the tow yard to claim his van, authorities said.

Investigators later learned that before the collision Henson had multiple alcoholic drinks over the course of two hours before getting behind the wheel, officials said.

Henson is due back in court on June 1.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.