School bus collides with MTA bus in Cedarhurst

A school bus collided with a commuter bus in Cedarhurst, leaving 30 people injured.

The accident happened at the intersection of Central Avenue and McGlyyn Place.

Fire officials say all 15 preschool students from the Lawrence School District who were aboard the bus sustained injuries, but are expected to recover. The Deputy Chief of the Lawrence Cedarhurst Fire Department said the kids were transported to Nassau County Medical Center as a precaution. He said the most serious injury on the MTA bus was a possible fractured leg.

Police say the cause of the collision is being investigated. However, a MTA passenger

claims the driver ran through a stop sign and broadsided the school bus.

Man struck and killed on Sunrise Highway in West Babylon

Suffolk County police are investigating a fatal pedestrian accident.

A 27 year old man was attempting to cross Sunrise Highway near Hubbards Path in West Babylon when he was struck by a westbound pickup truck. He was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip where he was pronounced dead.

The vehicle was impounded for a safety check and the investigation is continuing.

Motor Vehicle Crash in Manorville Kills Mother and Son

Suffolk County Police Seventh Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed a mother and one child and critically injured two additional children.

The woman was driving a 1998 Honda Accord eastbound on the Oceanview Boulevard extension when her 1998 Honda Accord entered the intersection of County Road 111 and collided with a southbound 2002 Ford E350 van.

The 30 year old mother, of Manorville, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 7-year-old son was transported by Manorville Community Ambulance to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead where he succumbed to his injuries and was later pronounced dead. The woman's 4-year-old daughter and her 2-year-old son were transported to Stony Brook University Medical Center via Suffolk County Police helicopter and were admitted in critical condition.

The driver of the van, and his passenger were transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Both vehicles were impounded for a safety check and the investigation is continuing.

Kehoe v City of New York, 2011 NY Slip Op 07006

The Appellate Division, Second Department, reversed the lower court and granted defendant's motion for summary judgment. Therein, the plaintiff was walking on a sidewalk abutting the defendant's real property when she tripped and fell and was injured. Three days later, she died of complications from her fall. The plaintiff's estate sued and the defendant moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that the defect was trivial as a matter of law. The Appellate Court reasoned as follows:

Generally, whether a dangerous or defective condition exists on the property of another so as to create liability "depends on the peculiar facts and circumstances of each case and is generally a question of fact for the jury" (citation omitted). However, not every injury allegedly caused by a defect in a sidewalk must be submitted to the jury. "[A] trivial defect on a walkway, not constituting a trap or nuisance, as a consequence of which a pedestrian might merely stumble, stub his toes or trip on a raised projection, is not actionable" (citation omitted). In determining whether a defect is trivial as a matter of law, the court should consider "the width, depth, elevation, irregularity and appearance of the defect along with the time, place and circumstance' of the injury" (citation omitted).

Upon reviewing photographs of the specific defect at issue, the court held that the alleged defect was not actionable, as it was trivial and did not possess the characteristics of a trap or nuisance. Thus, granted defendant's motion for summary judgment.

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Bicyclist hit, killed in E. Patchogue

A 22-year-old man riding a bike in East Patchogue died from injuries sustained after being struck by two sport utility vehicles, the second of which fled, police said.

Suffolk County police are searching for the second vehicle, described as a light-colored SUV -- an SUV last seen eastbound on South Country Road.

The victim, of East Patchogue, was airlifted to Stony Brook University Medical Center with serious injuries following the accident, police said. He subsequently died.

The victim was crossing South Country from north to south when he was struck by a westbound 2000 Jeep driven by a woman from Patchogue, police said. She stopped. The victim ended up in the eastbound lane of South Country Road -- and then was struck by a second vehicle, police said.

That vehicle didn't stop

Pedestrian Killed in Motor Vehicle Crash

Suffolk County Police First Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed a pedestrian in Amityville.

The pedestrian was walking across Broadway near Locust Drive in Amityville when he was struck by a 2004 Honda Accord that was traveling southbound on Broadway. The victim was crossing over from the west side of Broadway to the east side when he was struck by the vehicle.

The elderly man, of Massapequa Park, was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip where he was later pronounced dead. The driver of the Honda was not injured in the crash.

Appellate Division Dismisses Complaint

In Bonilla v. Locicero, the Appellate Division, Second Department, reversed the lower court and granted defendants' motion for summary judgment on the ground that the plaintiff did not sustain a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d).
The Court held that the defendants met their prima facie burden of establishing that the plaintiff did not sustain a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d) as a result of the subject accident. The plaintiff alleged that, as a result of the subject accident, she sustained certain injuries to the cervical and thoracolumbar regions of her spine, and her left hip. However, the defendants submitted competent medical evidence establishing, prima facie, that none of those alleged injuries constituted a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d). Furthermore, while the plaintiff also alleged that she sustained a serious injury under the 90/180-day category of Insurance Law § 5102(d), the defendants submitted evidence establishing, prima facie, that during the 180-day period immediately following the subject accident, the plaintiff did not have an injury or impairment which, for more than 90 days, prevented her from performing substantially all of the acts that constituted her usual and customary daily activities.

Cops hunt for pit bull after attack in Merrick

Nassau County police are conducting an extensive search for a pit bull after they say it viciously attacked a woman.

According to authorities, the incident happened near the Brookside School on Meadowbrook Road in Merrick.

Police say a woman had just finished walking on the school's track when she was approached by the dogs. They say the woman managed to call 911 from her cell phone.

Officers say the victim was still being attacked by the two pit bulls when they arrived. The officers fired at the dogs, striking and killing one, while the other took off behind the school.

The dog on the loose is described as tan with white on its stomach. The Nassau County Police Department is reminding residents in the area, for their own safety, to remain indoors during their extensive search.

The victim received bruises and lacerations to her head and face. In addition, she suffered from serious, deep lacerations to her left arm and both legs. She was transported to the Nassau University Medical Center in critical condition.

Families Sue Over Medford Massacre

The families of two of the victims in the Medford massacre are planning to sue Suffolk County for negligence in connection with the shooting.

The wife of the Haven Drugs pharmacist is asking for $10 million.

The victim's wife faults the county for failing to take away the suspect's guns before he killed the pharmacist, and three others, on Father’s Day.

Man Injured In Industrial Accident

Suffolk County Police detectives are investigating an industrial accident that severely injured a Patchogue man’s legs. Seventh Precinct officers responded to a 911 call reporting that a man had become entangled in a piece of machinery at a distributor shop located in Shirley. Upon arrival, the police found the victim trapped in a large compacting baler. Officers were able to extricate the victim who had suffered severe blood loss and traumatic injuries to both legs. The victim was transported via Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Medical Center and was admitted in serious condition. Officers from the Seventh Precinct and Emergency Service Section in addition to the Ridge Fire Department responded to the scene. The investigation is continuing and a notification to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was made.

Car Hits Two Pedestrians in Westbury

Two pedestrians were injured when they were struck by a car that crashed into a building on Maple Avenue in Westbury, police said.

Nassau County police could not immediately say how seriously the pedestrians were injured or if the driver had been charged.

The investigation is continuing and police said details are still emerging.

Newsday Truck Hits Bellmore Post Office

A Newsday delivery truck hit a Post Office building in Bellmore after the driver fell out of the vehicle while trying to retrieve a bundle of papers, police said.

The driver was taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow with minor injuries.

Officials said the post office was damaged. Nassau Fire Marshals and Town of Hempstead code enforcement officers were trying to determine if the building is structurally safe.

The driver was on Merrick Road when he hit a bump in the road and a bundle of papers started to bounce out of the truck, police said. The driver reached for the papers and both he and the bundle fell out the open door.

The driverless truck then struck the building, which is at the corner of Centre Avenue.

Dye Pack Explodes Injuring Bank Employee

A bank employee suffered minor injuries when a dye pack, used to foil bank robberies and mark stolen cash, accidentally exploded in a TD Bank branch in Bethpage, Nassau County police said.

Police said the incident occurred inside the bank on Stewart Avenue. An Emergency Services Unit was dispatched to the bank, police said.

It was not clear what caused the pack to explode.

The employee suffered eye irritation, police said. It was not immediately clear if she was taken to a hospital.

Woman Arrested for DWI with Kids in Car

A Central Islip woman was arrested for driving while intoxicated with three young children in the car, Nassau police said.

Police said they saw a driver in a parking lot on Sunrise Highway in Massapequa while her 6-year-old son stood on the backseat.

After police stopped the car, they found two more children -- a 7-year-old and 2-year old -- sitting in child-safety seats in the back of the car.

Pedestrian killed in Holbrook

Suffolk County Police detectives are investigating a crash that killed a pedestrian in Holbrook this morning.

A man was driving a 2008 Nissan on Veterans Memorial Highway when he struck a pedestrian who was walking in the roadway. The pedestrian was then struck a second time by another driver. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.

Bicyclist accident

A bicyclist was killed after he was struck by a vehicle in Port Washington, Port Washington Village police said.

The bicyclist, who police have not yet identified, was riding northbound on Port Washington Boulevard at Marino Avenue when he was struck by a 2007 Honda sedan driven by an woman, Lt. Brian Staley said. Police did not identify the driver.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman was not charged, but her vehicle was impounded for safety checks.

Three Teens Hit by Driver on Drugs

A Lindenhurst woman was ordered held on bail Monday at her arraignment on charges that she was high on drugs when she hit three teenagers with her car who were walking on a street in Deer Park.

The woman was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and with criminal possession of a hypodermic needle. The woman was denied being released without bail by Judge Paul Hensley because of the gravity of the crime.

The victims, all friends from Deer Park High School, were struck along Grand Boulevard in Deer Park when the SUV drifted onto the shoulder area. One of the three victims was airlifted to Stony Brook University Medical Center, in serious condition. The other two victims were both transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip. 

Firemen injured

Four members of the Elmont Fire Department drill competition racing team were injured, one seriously, when they fell off a racing truck during a practice session Tuesday night in North Woodmere, police and fire officials said.

Three of the injured firefighters were taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, the other to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

Three of the firefighters are in stable condition Wednesday. One of the firefighters, who suffered head trauma, remained in serious condition in Jamaica.

Worker's Compensation

The Workers' Compensation Law provides the exclusive remedy for an employee who seeks damages for unintentional injuries which he or she incurs in the course of employment.  While an intentional tort may give rise to a cause of action outside the of the Workers' Compensation Law, the complaint must allege an intentional or deliberate act by the employer directed at causing harm to this particular employee

MVA-Lindenhurst

A pedestrian was seriously injured when she was struck by a car as she was crossing at a Lindenhurst intersection Thursday, Suffolk police said.

The pedestrian was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip for treatment, police said. The driver of the car, was not injured.

The pedestrian was walking east across South Broadway at West Hoffman Avenue when she was struck by an eastbound 2000 Hyundai, which was making a right turn onto South Broadway.

Student injuries

During an elective high school softball class, plaintiff, then 16 years old, hit ground balls to a fielder as a warmup exercise. A student named Johanny approached plaintiff and asked if she could hit a few balls. Plaintiff handed the bat to Johanny and told her, consistent with the teacher's instructions for practice drills, that she should not take full swings. Upon being handed the bat, however, Johanny immediately threw the ball in the air and took a full swing before plaintiff had time to get out ... Because the record establishes that plaintiff assumed the risk that resulted in her injury, defendant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law (see CPLR 4404[a]). A participant in an athletic activity is deemed to have assumed "those commonly appreciated risks which are inherent in and arise out of the nature of the sport generally and flow from such participation" (Morgan v State of New York, 90 NY2d 471, 484 [1997]). 

Firemen injured

Four members of the Elmont Fire Department drill competition racing team were injured, one seriously, when they fell off a racing truck during a practice session Tuesday night in North Woodmere, police and fire officials said.

Three of the injured firefighters were taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, the other to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

Three of the firefighters are in stable condition Wednesday. One of the firefighters, who suffered head trauma, remained in serious condition in Jamaica.

Personal injury-threshold decision

In order to have a successful automobile personal injury case in New York, a person's injuries must meet a minimal threshold. If the injuries don't meet the threshold, or a person stops treating, defendants will often ask the Court to dismiss the case in a "summary judgment motion." However, as recently pointed out by the Appellate Division, the Court will not automatically dismiss these cases. In the recent case, the Court found that the plaintiff "established the existence of a triable issue of fact constituting a meritorious opposition to" Thornton's motion (Political Mktg., Int'l., Inc. v Jaliman, 67 AD3d at 662; see CPLR 5015[a][1]). The plaintiff provided competent medical evidence establishing that the alleged injuries to the lumbar region of her spine constituted a serious injury under the permanent consequential limitation of use and/or significant limitation of use categories of Insurance Law § 5102(d) (see Dixon v Fuller, 79 AD3d 1094, 1094-1095). She also provided a reasonable explanation for a cessation of medical treatment (see Pommells v Perez, 4 NY3d 566, 574; Abdelaziz v Fazel, 78 AD3d 1086).

School District responsibility

A school district can be found responsible for a defective condition on their property if they have notice of the decision. The appellate Court in Gille v. Long Beach City School Dist. ,(N.Y.A.D. 2 Dept.)held that there were genuine issues of material fact as to whether a school district negligently supervised a student and his classmates, and whether the school district had actual or constructive notice of the defective condition. Therefore, the school district was not entitled to summary judgment in the student's action seeking to recover damages for injuries he allegedly sustained when a window shade fell and struck him in the head and eye.

Pedestrian accidents-Long Island

Nassau and Suffolk counties rank third and fourth in pedestrian fatality rates among New York's 62 counties, according to a national report. The survey spurred calls for the state to redesign Long Island's deadliest roads for pedestrians. The report, released by the national nonprofit group Transportation for America, found that 52 percent of pedestrian fatalities across the country from 2000 through 2009 occurred on arterial roads -- thoroughfares it noted were engineered to move cars quickly, with little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs or on bicycles.
Local transportation advocates called for the state Department of Transportation to invest more in safety projects and to develop plans to reduce pedestrian deaths on Hempstead Turnpike and Sunrise Highway, state roads that federal data show are among the region's most dangerous for pedestrians.

Cheerleading injury

Recently it was found that a school district was not liable in a cheerleader's personal injury action, arising from an accident during cheerleading practice in which a teammate fell on the cheerleader during practice of the "liberty" stunt. The cheerleader voluntarily engaged in the activity of cheerleading, including the performance of stunts and, as an experienced cheerleader, she knew the risks inherent in that activity. The cheerleader was adequately supervised and further assumed obvious risk of injury from practicing on a bare gym floor. Also, the cheerleader did not know why the accident occurred, as required to demonstrate proximate cause.

Trip and Fall accidents

In trip and fall cases, defendants will often argue that a defect was "open and obvious," thus the injured plaintiff should have seen the defect. This claim, however, should not be fatal to a claim. Under the theory of comparative negligence, just because the plaintiff may be partly responsible for the happening of an accident, doesn't mean that the case is over. This issue was recently addressed by an appellate court. In Saretsky v. 85 Kenmare Realty Corp., the plaintiff, Saretsky was hurt when she fell off a raised walkway in front of defendant's building after exiting a store. The platform-like raised walkway extends some 4½ feet from the building's face and ends at a 5-inch-high transition step at the center of the sidewalk. At a General Municipal Law §50-h hearing, Saretsky asserted she did not see the transition step, which she claimed was dangerous and trap-like. Supreme Court summarily dismissed her personal injury action after interpreting her claim that she did not see the purportedly "open and obvious" step as being that "she fell because she wasn't looking." Discussing Westbrook v. WR Activities-Cabreara Mkts. and Chafoulias v. 240 E. 55th Street Tenants Corp., and noting that her theory of "optical confusion" was supported by the record, the First Department reversed and reinstated the personal injury complaint. The panel ruled that the lower court's determination was error. Citing Westbrook, it reiterated the "well established principle" that a finding of "open and obvious" as to a hazardous condition is not fatal to a plaintiff's negligence claim. Rather it is relevant only to plaintiff's comparative fault. Therefore, summary dismissal of Saretsky's complaint was inappropriate.

Owners liability for dog

A recent court decision found that the owners of a dog were not liable for injuries which motorcyclist sustained when he attempted to avoid hitting the dog. In the case, Rockwood v. Abate, the Judge found that tthe owners of a dog were not liable for injuries which a motorcyclist sustained when he attempted to avoid hitting the dog, which had entered the road after pushing open the gate on a six-foot chain link fence surrounding the owners' yard and running down 100-foot driveway and into the road. The dog had never been unrestrained outside of the confines of the owners' yard prior to date of accident.

Hit and run driver-Bethpage

Nassau County Police reported that a hit-and-run driver in Bethpage struck two men riding on one bicycle Wednesday morning, killing one and seriously injuring the other.
The bicyclist was pronounced dead at a hospital at 7:20 a.m., an hour and 15 minutes after he was struck. The second victim was hospitalized in serious condition with internal injuries. Homicide detectives are searching for the driver of a white box truck that they think struck the bicycle as the two men headed south on Hicksville Road shortly after 6 a.m. The truck sustained damage in a front headlight area as a result of the collision, police said.

Fall on stairs

Recently, the courts decided a case where a theater-goer was injured after the lights had been turned off. The court held that A theater did not proximately cause injuries that a patron suffered from a fall from a stairs by suddenly turning the lights off before a performance. The strips of lights on the stairs were functioning, the patron of the theater should have expected that the lights in the theater would be turned off before the show began, common law authority did not prescribe a procedure of flashing or dimming lights before going off, and preventing house lights from being turned off until everyone was seated would have amounted to a prescription of conduct exceeding a duty of reasonable care.

Long Island Personal Injury Trial Lawyers: Motorcycle accident

Long Island Personal Injury Trial Lawyers: Motorcycle accident

Motorcycle accident

A motorcyclist from Farmingdale died on March 29, 2011 when his motorcycle collided with a car in Hicksville. According to the police, the man was taken by ambulance to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, where he was pronounced dead. The man was operating a 2010 Harley-Davidson motorcycle east on Duffy Avenue at 3:16 p.m. when he crashed into the side of a northbound Honda that was making a left turn onto Duffy from West Nicholai Street.

Plowing Snow on Parking Lot

In the past, several cases have dealt with a frequently met requirement regarding the liability of a municipality in an area where a defect is present. The law says that a written notice of the defect must be given to the municipality before the liability of an injury from the defect can be imposed.

An exception to this law was recognized by the Court of Appeals in several cases. A recent case cited this exception stating that if the municipality created the defect through negligence, then they are not protected from liability.

The Court says that these statutes were never meant to exempt a municipality of liability where negligence is present. Piling the snow instead of removing it was a “cost-saving pragmatic solution,” but presented a “foreseeable, indeed known, risk of melting and refreezing.”

In the dissenting opinion, it says that prior written notice requirements are ‘a valid exercise of legislative authority.’ These notices are supposed to prevent negligence, and therefore injury. The dissent claims the written notice requirement did apply, and the case should have been dismissed.

Will My Case Go to Trial?

After being retained by people injured in car accidents, one of the first questions we often receive is, “will my case go to trial?” More often than not the answer is “maybe.” However, what we do inform clients, is that our firm prepares all cases as if they will go to trial. In our experience we have found that this is the best way to maximize the value of a case when negotiating with the insurance company. It is our belief that if the insurance company recognizes that you are prepared to litigate a case, they will treat your case more seriously and ultimately value you it higher.

There are three main factors that help determine if your case will go to trial. Those factors are as follows:

Liability: The first aspect of your case to be examined is the circumstances of the accident, and more specifically, who’s fault was the accident. If you were completely at fault for the happening of the accident, you have no case. But, if the other driver or drivers were completely at fault, or you were only partially at fault, you may have a case. A typical car accident case involves a rear-end collision. If you were involved in a rear-end collision case, and you were the front car (i.e. the car hit from behind), you have a great liability case. If someone makes a left turn in front of you causing an accident, you have a great liability case. In sum, if the other driver(s) violate a specific part of the the Traffic law (ex. red light, stop sign) your chances of succeeding on a personal injury claim are vastly improved.

Damages: New York State Law requires that in order for you to be successful on your automobile personal injury lawsuit, your injuries must meet a certain minimal threshold. If the Court determines that your injuries do not meet the threshold, your lawsuit is subject to dismissal. Yet, if your injuries meet the threshold, your likelihood of having a successful case vastly improves. Under the law, there are nine categories of threshold injuries. Examples of threshold categories are fractures, or significant disfigurement. The trickier cases involve so called “soft tissue” injuries. A “soft tissue” injury can be a disc herniation in your back, or a shoulder tear. The severity of this type of injury will determine the value of the injury. The best way to determine if your injury is significant is to examine the objective proof of the injury (i.e. x-ray or MRI) and couple that with the impact on your life, such as missed work. If you have an injury that was confirmed by X-ray or MRI and you missed a significant period of time from work, your chances of succeeding on your case greatly improve.

Insurance: The last piece to the puzzle is the amount of insurance available. Initially a claim will be made against the insurance company of the other driver. Hopefully, the other driver maintained more insurance that the New York State minimum of $25,000.00. If the other driver had a minimal policy, the chances of your case going to trial are dramatically reduced. The more insurance available, the more likely that your case will be tried. If the other driver was uninsured or underinsured, you can also make a claim against your own insurance company. This topic will be the subject of another article.

In conclusion, think of your car accident case in three parts: liability, damages and insurance. If one part is missing or reduced, the chances of your case going to trial are diminished.

Lack of Supervision

Recently the New York City Board of Education was sued when a student was injured in a fight with another student. The injured student claimed that the Board of Education failed to supervise the student who instigated the assault. However, in Espino v. New York City Bd. of Education, the city's board of education established its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law in a personal injury action brought by a 17-year- old student who was injured during a fight in a school hallway. The summary judgment evidence demonstrated that the supervision provided for students of the plaintiff's age was sufficient, that the attack on the plaintiff was sudden and spontaneous and could not have been prevented by more supervision, and that the board had no prior notice of problems between the plaintiff and his assailants.

Labor law-scaffold cases

One of the most complex and confusing areas of the labor law concerns scaffold cases. Generally speaking a worker injured during a height related accident can bring a claim for negligence. Of course there are many obstacles that must first be overcome. A recent case in the Appellate Division took a look at some of these issue. In Leconte v. 80 East End Owners Corp, a building's owner and managing agent violated the scaffold law, and thus were liable for the injuries of a worker who fell while installing a security system in the building, regardless of whether the worker used one of the building's ladders and fell when a part of the ladder went through a gap in a stairway landing or did not use one of the building's ladders and instead fell from the stairway's railing. Under the latter version of events, the worker's alleged conduct was not the sole proximate cause of the accident, since he was not offered the use of the building's ladders to perform his work and did not know that he could, but chose not to, use the building's ladders. Under the former version of facts, moreover, the worker's allegedly negligent conduct in placing the ladder in a manner that allowed a part of it to go through a gap in the landing was not the sole proximate cause of his injuries.

Slip and Fall-black ice

The Court of Appeals has recognized a possible exception to the prior written notice statute required for bring a personal injury action against the government. In San Marco v. Village/Town of Mount Kisco , the Court found that there was an issue as to whether village created black ice condition upon which plaintiff slipped and fell precluded summary judgment.
The Court of Appeals has held that the "immediacy" test for determining whether the "affirmative creation" exception to the prior written notice statute excused written notification in cases involving hazards caused by a pothole or manhole cover did not extend to cases involving hazards related to negligent snow removal. As such, a village could be liable for a negligent ice condition without receiving prior written notice, if it created the defect or hazard through an affirmative act of negligence. However, a fact issue as to whether the village created the black ice condition upon which the plaintiff slipped and fell precluded summary judgment in the plaintiff's personal injury action against the village.

Hit and run drivers

Recently, the Suffolk County Police Fifth Squad detectives investigated a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a pedestrian. Police responded to a 911 call from a passing motorist reporting that a pedestrian was lying on the ground on North Ocean Avenue near Vehslage Street in Patchogue on December 11 at 6:07 p.m. When police arrived, they determined that a man had been struck by an unidentified vehicle that fled in an unknown direction. The injured man was transported to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue and was listed in critical condition.