Police: Man arrested in fatal Hempstead hit-and-run

An Amityville man was arrested Thursday morning in the death of a pedestrian crossing a Hempstead street. Nassau police say Miguel Vasquez Guillen, 60, was running across Washington Avenue just before

News 12 Staff

Nov 4, 2016, 12:40 AM

Updated 2,894 days ago

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An Amityville man was arrested Thursday morning in the death of a pedestrian crossing a Hempstead street.
Nassau police say Miguel Vasquez Guillen, 60, was running across Washington Avenue just before 7 a.m. when he was struck by a 2011 Jeep and then by a second car.
Authorities say the driver of the second car, a 1991 Dodge, was arrested. Police say Jose Nelson Cruz, of Amityville, ran over the victim and then took off down Lent Street, where he hit a tree. They say he then hopped a fence and tried to run away. He was apprehended a short time later.
Cruz faces leaving the scene of an accident with death and unlicensed operator charges. He is set to be arraigned Friday in Hempstead.
The Jeep that stayed on the scene had damage to its hood and license plate, which says "Town of Hempstead." Police and town officials did not confirm or deny if a town employee was behind the wheel.
The Town of Hempstead released a statement saying, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the accident victim."