Police Arrest Man Wanted In Fatal Brentwood Hit-And-Run
BRENTWOOD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Long Island police have arrested a man accused in a fatal hit-and-run crash in Brentwood earlier this week.
Cesar Velasquez, 54, was arrested on Saturday and charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
The fatal accident occurred around 11:30 p.m. Friday on Washington Avenue, where Suffolk County police say 41-year-old Jose Reneirio Salinas was walking southbound when a car hit and killed him.
Investigators say the impact was so intense, Salinas flew several feet in the air and was left lying on the northbound side of the street.
Minutes later, Jenny Cartagena said she accidentally hit Salinas' body with her car. She said it was traumatizing, and stayed on the scene.
"The car, I had an Expedition, and I feel the bump, the rattle and stuff and I looked in the rear view mirror and I saw something...the back of the victim's head," Cartagena said.
"There were two witnesses who were like, calm down, calm down, we saw the car that did this, you did not do this," Cartagena added. "I'm on the phone with 911, as we speak."
Police said it was unclear where the victim was headed. Washington Avenue is a main thoroughfare with a 30 mph speed limit.
Residents say cars often go much faster than that.
Velasquez is scheduled to appear in court in Islip on Sunday.