A Salvadoran national has been indicted in the hit and run crash on Flanders Road that killed a 45-year-old resident of Riverside earlier this month, Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney announced today.
Silvia Alvarez DeReyes, 46, of El Salvador was operating a 1999 Toyota Corolla northbound on Flanders Road in Riverside on Oct. 5 at about 7:20 p.m. when she struck a man who was crossing the road within a crosswalk, Tierney said. She drove away from the scene of the crash without contacting the police or seeing if the pedestrian needed assistance, Tierney said in a press release. Southampton Police said in a press release after the incident that the crash took place in the area of Vail Avenue and identified the driver as a resident of Shirley. See prior story: Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run crash on Flanders Road in Riverside Sunday night
The victim died at the scene as a result of the injuries he sustained from the crash. He was identified as Eli Damian Mazat, age 46.
Alvarez DeReyes allegedly went to a friend’s house in Mastic after the collision, according to the DA’s press release. Two hours later, the defendant allegedly returned to the scene of the crash with her friends, Tierney said. She was ultimately placed under arrest. The Toyota Corolla was later recovered at the friend’s home in Mastic and secured as evidence, he said.
Alvarez DeReyes was indicted on one count of Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, a class D felony and one count of Operating a Motor Vehicle Outside the Class of License, a traffic infraction, the district attorney said.
Alvarez DeReyes was arraigned today before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski. She was produced in court today pursuant to a writ from the custody of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS-ICE).
DeReyes is due back in court on Nov. 25 and faces 2 ⅓ to 7 years in prison if convicted on the top count. She is being represented by the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society.
Justice Pilewski ordered Alvarez DeReyes remanded during the pendency of the case.
DHS-ICE has lodged a detainer to return Alvarez DeReyes to ICE custody after she serves her sentence, Tierney said.
Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
