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The incident happened at around 4 a.m. Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Patchogue.
Suffolk County Police said Nicholas Puzio was crossing Medford Avenue at Oak Street in a marked crosswalk when he was hit by a southbound Honda Civic. Moments later, he was struck by a Nissan Armada. Both drivers fled the scene.
Puzio, of Farmingdale, was taken to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue where he was pronounced dead.
On Thursday, March 21, police announced that officers had arrested 73-year-old Jesus Matute, of Patchogue, alleging he was driving the second vehicle that struck Puzio.
Suffolk County Police detectives arrested 19-year-old Elian Jurado–Zavala, of Bay Shore, days after the crash, alleging he was driving the first vehicle.
Both Matute and Jurado–Zavala are charged with leaving the scene of an accident with a fatality.
Puzio’s death prompted State Sen. Dean Murray, whose 3rd District represents south central Suffolk County, to introduce new legislation named “Nick’s Law.”
The bill, which has yet to see a floor vote, would increase the penalty for drivers who leave the scene of a fatal crash to a minimum of five years in prison.
“This young man’s life was taken far too early. If the first driver had stopped, would the second vehicle have ever hit him? If the second driver had stopped, could they have gotten Nick the help he needed to save his life?” Murray said.
“These are questions we cannot answer because of the reckless and cowardly choices made by the two drivers. Both drivers failed to yield to Nick and both drivers left the scene of the accident, trying to escape the consequences of their actions. There must be serious consequences for such actions.”
A Change.org petition in support of the legislation has garnered nearly 9,000 signatures.
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