Hit Motorcyclist, Who Later Died, Then Fled on Foot
A Brentwood man was indicted for leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in the death of a motorcycle rider.
On July 29 at approximately 7:22 p.m., Manuel Gomez was allegedly driving a 2008 Ford Explorer southbound on Wicks Road in Brentwood with two passengers inside. As Gomez attempted to make a left-hand turn from Wicks Road onto Bradley Street, a northbound motorcycle operated by Andres Eloy Khammach La Cruz collided with the rear of the Ford Explorer. Gomez subsequently pulled the car over and he and his passengers exited the vehicle. All three individuals allegedly left the crash location on foot before police arrived and without checking on the well-being of the victim.
La Cruz was pronounced dead at South Shore University Hospital. At the time of the crash, Gomez’s driving privileges in New York were suspended.
On September 3, Gomez was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins, for the following charges:
Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, a Class D felony
Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree, an Unclassified misdemeanor.
Collins ordered Gomez held on $80,000 cash, $160,000 bond or $800,000 partially secured bond. His next court date is September 20.
“The individual charged allegedly was operating a vehicle while their New York State driving privileges were suspended. A 31-year-old motorcyclist lost his life in this tragic event, and we intend to seek justice for him and his loved ones, “said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “As this is an ongoing investigation, we are limited in the details we can provide at this time.”