A Copiague man was indicted for leaving the scene of an accident after allegedly striking and killing a Massapequa Park man as he was crossing the street.
On November 5 at approximately 8:44 p.m., Lloyd Berger was allegedly driving a 2003 Toyota Camry at a high speed westbound on Montauk Highway in Copiague when he struck Louis Lasula, 69, who was attempting to cross the street. The victim died at the scene as a result of the injuries he sustained in the crash. Berger allegedly did not stop to administer aid or notify authorities. Instead, Berger allegedly continued to a friend’s house, which was around the corner from where Lasula was struck.
On November 7, Suffolk County police arrested Berger after finding him at a Lindenhurst motel. He was arraigned on December 1 on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski for one count of Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, a Class D felony, and one count of Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, an unclassified misdemeanor.
Pilewski ordered Berger held on $500,000 cash, $1,000,000 bond or $5,000,000 partially secured bond. His next court date is January 15, 2026, and faces 2⅓ to seven years in prison if convicted on the top count.
“This was the second hit-and-run on November 5, 2025, just hours after one that happened earlier in the day. These incidents are an all-too common occurrence in Suffolk County,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “People are being left to die on the road as if their lives don’t matter. But make no mistake: if you leave the scene, you will be found, and my office will prosecute you.”