CENTRAL ISLIP MAN INDICTED FOR LEAVING THE SCENE AFTER KILLING PEDESTRIAN

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Raynard Williams, 47, of Central Islip, was indicted for leaving the scene after he allegedly struck pedestrian Paul Benjamin, 68, also of Central Islip, as he was walking at the intersection of Carleton Avenue and Elmore Street in Central Islip.

“This defendant allegedly fled the scene after knowingly striking Paul Benjamin, leaving him to die in the street. Those alleged actions are inexcusable,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I thank the Suffolk County Police Department for their investigation into tracking down and arresting the defendant.”

According to the investigation, on July 31, 2023, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the victim, Paul Benjamin, was walking across Carleton Avenue at its intersection with Elmore Street. Williams, who was allegedly driving a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe southbound on Carleton Avenue, struck Benjamin with his vehicle and drove away without stopping to render aid or call 911. Benjamin was transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore where he was pronounced dead.

During their investigation, law enforcement recovered video surveillance footage from multiple establishments.

Video surveillance from a 7-Eleven depicted that after Williams allegedly struck Benjamin, he pulled into the parking lot, exited his vehicle, looked back down the road where the incident allegedly occurred, and then returned to his vehicle and drove away. Additionally, law enforcement was able to obtain the license plate of the Hyundai that struck Benjamin from video surveillance footage from other commercial establishments and license plate readers.

Two days after the incident, detectives from the Suffolk County Police Department located the Hyundai that allegedly struck Benjamin outside of Williams’ home. Williams was arrested the following morning, on August 3, 2023.

On August 16, 2023, Williams was arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Steven A. Pilewski, for Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, a Class D felony. Judge Pilewski ordered Williams held on $75,000 cash, $150,000 bond, or $750,000 partially secured bond. Additionally, Judge Pilewski suspended Williams’s privilege to drive in New York State.

Williams’s next court date is September 12, 2023, and he is being represented by Luigi Belcastro, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ray Varuolo of the Vehicular Crime Bureau, with investigative assistance from Detective Joseph Bianco of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Major Case Unit.

###

Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

725 Veterans Memorial Highway ● Building 77 ● Hauppauge, NY 11788 ● 631.852.3185

SuffolkCountyNY.gov/DA ● twitter.com/RayTierneyDA ● instagram.com/RayTierneyDA