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Prosecutors: Suspects Staged Crash To Cover Up Deliberate L.I. Hit And Run

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- It's a plot straight from the movies.

A group of young people are accused of trying to cover-up a New Year's Eve hit-and-run crash on Long Island that left a 16-year-old in a coma.

The arrests of two young men and a woman -- Kristofer Busching, Carlo Caamano and Busching's girlfriend, Alicia Santamaria -- ended a week-long manhunt.

The trio is accused of a hit and run with a vicious twist. Witnesses said the victim, 16-year-old Ryan McCarthy, was deliberately hit.

The crash occurred steps from Darcy Fader's West Islip home as teens were leaving a New Year's party.

"The kid was walking in the street and they said the driver was too close to edge so they kinda screamed at the driver and from their claims, he went around the corner and came back," Fader told CBS 2's Carolyn Gusoff.

Busching has told reporters he didn't mean to hit the teen.

But prosecutors said the driver hit McCarthy after the teen threw something at the car, then left him in critical condition.

Prosecutors also said the trio staged another crash to cover up the damage.

The victim's family said McCarthy was in a coma and they're concerned he's being vilified for somehow instigating the argument seconds before the hit and run.

"None of that should matter. He's hurt and needs people to pray for him," the victim's brother posted on Facebook.

Neighbors on Udalls Road said McCarthy was walking along a street, which is notorious for speeding.

"Hopefully there is justice for him and his family and justice," neighbor Joe Elberti said. "Forget about justice, let's get this resolved so this doesn't happen again."

"No matter what happened between them, you don't deliberately hit someone and then run away from it," said the victim's neighbor, Susan Elberti.

McCarthy is unable to tell his side of the story, but neighbors said there were witnesses to the crash.

Busching, of North Babylon, was charged with first-degree assault, leaving the scene of an accident with serious physical injury, fifth-degree conspiracy, criminal mischief, and petit larceny, Suffolk County police said.

All three suspects have pleaded not guilty.

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