Maria Guallpa-Bonilla, of Bellport, pleads guilty in hit-and-run crash that killed 22-year-old firefighter, Suffolk DA says

A Bellport woman has pleaded guilty to a fatal hit-and-run this summer that killed a 22-year-old volunteer firefighter, authorities said Thursday.

Maria Guallpa-Bonilla, 36, entered a guilty plea in Suffolk County Court to one count of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting in connection with the June 10 fatal crash that killed Christopher Hlavaty of East Patchogue.

She faces a maximum sentence of 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison.

"This defendant’s actions in leaving a young man to die on the road, after striking and running over his body, were callous and unconscionable," said Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney. "Ms. Guallpa-Bonilla was more concerned about the consequences that she would face, rather than rendering aid to Christopher Hlavaty. Motorcyclists have the right to drive on the streets in Suffolk County without having to worry that they are going to get struck by a vehicle and left to die. We hope this plea will give Mr. Hlavaty’s family and loved ones some small measure of justice."

Guallpa-Bonilla's attorney Luigi A. Belcastro said in an email: "This was a tragic accident. My client has accepted responsibility for her actions, and she is very remorseful for what has occurred."

Guallpa-Bonilla, who worked on Medford Avenue in Patchogue, left her job driving a blue 2001 Mercury Cougar and drove westbound on East Main Street at about 10:47 p.m.

Guallpa-Bonilla struck Hlavaty, who was driving a motorcycle, as she made a left hand turn in a southbound direction on Rider Avenue, prosecutors said.

Hlavaty's motorcycle was eastbound and had the right of way, prosecutors said.

Guallpa-Bonilla drove over Hlavaty’s body "with the front and rear tires of the car," prosecutors said.

Guallpa-Bonilla then "left the scene without stopping or rendering aid to him and failed to report the collision to law enforcement," prosecutors said.

Hlavaty, who was a volunteer firefighter with the Hagerman Fire Department, later died from the injuries he sustained in the crash, prosecutors said.

Investigators found car parts at the scene of the crash that matched the year, make and model of Guallpa-Bonilla's vehicle, prosecutors said.

Police found her vehicle in her driveway two days later. It was covered with a tarp "to prevent it from being observed by the authorities," prosecutors said.

Guallpa-Bonilla was driving with a permit at the time of the crash and was required to have another licensed driver in the vehicle, prosecutors said.

She is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 4.

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.