Two pedestrians killed by hit-and-run driver in Farmingville

Police are looking for a driver in a hit-and-run crash that left two pedestrians dead in Farmingville on Friday night, according to Suffolk police.

Ekrem Sahinbey Polat, 27, and Battal Koc, 38, were crossing the street in front of a shopping plaza on Horseblock Road near Abner Drive at about 11:20 p.m. when they were struck by a driver in a light colored SUV, police said.

The motorist was heading northwest on Horseblock Road and took off after the crash, police said.

Polat, of Middle Island, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.

Koc, of Bay Shore, was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A friend of Koc's, Murat Tasar, also of Bay Shore, said Koc was from Turkey and had a wife and children living there.

"I know him in the United States. He's married with children," said Tasar, 52. "He's not just a nice person, he's an angel. He's very nice people."

Tasar said he had known Koc for about five months, and Koc had stayed at his home for about a month before Koc found his own place.

"He missed his family. He missed his kids," Tasar said. "He wanted to come to the United States and make money."

He said Koc and Polat were friends, but he did not know what they were doing Friday when they were struck.

Detective are asking anyone with information to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.