Attorney General to probe death of man struck in North Amityville by off-duty MTA police officer

New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office said they will investigate the death of a man struck and killed early Saturday in North Amityville by a vehicle being driven by an off-duty Metropolitan Transportation Authority police officer.

Suffolk County police said Jose Escobar, 56, of North Amityville, was fatally struck at about 12:13 a.m. Saturday by a 2021 Mazda SUV on Broadway near Francine Avenue.

The driver of the SUV was identified by the attorney general’s office as an off-duty MTA officer. Police said the driver was in the left lane on Broadway when the Mazda struck the pedestrian in the road.

Escobar was declared dead at the scene, police said. The driver was not injured.

Newsday is not identifying the driver because he has not been criminally charged.

MTA officials said following the crash, the officer was "routinely reassigned to full administrative duty, pending review."

A 2021 state law requires the attorney general’s Office of Special Investigation to investigate all instances involving law enforcement officers "that may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission." The law requires the attorney general to investigate cases involving officers both on or off duty.

If the probe "indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident," officials said. The office may pursue criminal charges before a grand jury.

Officials have said they investigate about 200 cases per year.

Last week, the attorney general chose not to pursue charges against a Suffolk police officer who was going 87 mph while responding to a call when she struck and killed a 13-year-old boy in Shirley.

The investigation into the 2023 death of Anthony Stinson found the officer did not hit the boy intentionally or find she was acting recklessly.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.