Police probe two fatal pedestrian accidents in East Meadow, Bay Shore

Police are investigating two accidents that killed pedestrians, one Monday night in East Meadow and the other early Tuesday in Bay Shore.

Nassau County Police said the fatal accident in East Meadow occurred when a 2000 Honda, traveling westbound on Hempstead Turnpike, struck a male pedestrian near the intersection of Merrick Avenue just before 10 p.m. The pedestrian suffered "severe head trauma" and died at the scene, police said.

In the second accident, Suffolk County Police said a man was killed when he was struck by a minivan on the Sunrise Highway service road. Police said the victim, identified as Andrew Taylor, 28, of Bay Shore, was in the roadway when he was struck by a westbound 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan about 500 feet west of Atlantic Avenue at about 4:15 a.m.

Taylor was transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, where police said he was pronounced.

Neither driver was injured in the accidents and police said both remained at the scene and have not been charged.

Nassau Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the East Meadow accident, while police in Suffolk are asking anyone with information about the Suffolk crash to call Third Squad detectives at 631-854-8352.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”