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Police Searching For Driver In Fatal Suffolk County Hit-And-Run

BRENTWOOD (CBSNewYork) -- Suffolk County Police are looking for a driver who hit and killed a man and kept on driving Friday night.

Santa Guzman ran outside and saw the aftermath of a hit-and-run accident in front of her home.

"We heard a boom and that's what makes us concerned," she told CBS2's Jessica Borg.

The fatal accident occurred around 11:30 p.m. Friday on Washington Avenue in Brentwood, where Suffolk Police say 41-year-old Jose Reneirio Salinas was walking southbound when a car hit and killed him.

The driver did not remain on the scene.

"It was so bad," Guzman said. "We were just in shock."

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.

A few minutes later, Jenny Cartagena accidentally hit him with her car. She says it was traumatizing.

"I have an Expedition and I could feel the bump, the rattle and stuff," she said. "I looked in the rearview mirror and I saw something. I saw the back of the victim's head."

Cartagena immediately pulled over and was assisted by eyewitnesses.

"There were two witnesses who were like 'Calm down, calm down. We saw the car that did this, you did not do this. I'm on the phone with 911 as we speak.'," she said.

Police say it is unclear where Salinas was coming from and where he was heading.

Washington Avenue is considered a main thoroughfare and residents say speeding is often an issue.

"I think we should get a stop sign in there because there's a lot of cars, a lot with accidents," Guzman said.

Police say the SUV involved in the initial collision likely has front end driver's side damage.

The investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone with information to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6553 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

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