Police: Long Island Man Struck, Killed By Own Car After Vehicle Stolen
BAY SHORE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A gesture of goodwill turned into tragedy the morning after Thanksgiving on Long Island.
It happened when Dionel Ramirez, 69, of North Amityville stopped at a 7-Eleven on Pine Aire Drive in North Bay Shore around 5:45 a.m. Friday.
Police: Long Island Man Struck, Killed By Own Car After Vehicle Stolen
He left his car running in the parking lot with the door open and went into the store to pick up food to bring to a local soup kitchen, police said.
A man then jumped into his car and tried to drive away with it, police said.
Ramirez tried to stop the man from stealing his car when he was struck by his own vehicle, police said.
"Ramirez got in front of the car and the person then drove over him," Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer told WCBS 880.
Ramirez was taken to Southside Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
"It's just crazy what happened," Ramirez's daughter told 1010 WINS' Darius Radzius. "I thought it was just going to be another normal day, especially after Thanksgiving."
She is pleading with the man who abandoned the car to turn himself in, Radzius reported.
"Just turn yourself in," she said.
The investigation is ongoing.
"He came from a county that was poor, he wants to give back to the people that are less fortunate," his daughter said.
"We believe that there were some witnesses and we encourage those witnesses to contact us," Beyrer said.
"It's not too many people that try to do that, help others you know, it's very sad," local business owner Dimas Escobar told CBS2's Steve Lanford.
Anyone with information is asked to call Homicide Squad detectives at 631-852-6392 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
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