Two more pedestrians killed in Long Island this week-end
In August alone, more than 30 traffic accident fatalities were recorded on Long Island roads. September started badly as well, with two pedestrian deaths occurring over the weekend. On Saturday night around 11:00 pm, 50 year old Christopher Briscoe was killed by a 28 year old driver as he was attempting to cross Montauk Highway. The driver wasn’t charged as no criminality was suspected. A day later, 47 year old Santos Aguirre was struck by two hit and run drivers in Amityville. One of them, 26 year old Danielle Lapersonerie was driving intoxicated and was caught by the police shortly after the accident. The other driver is still at large.
Janine Logan of the group Walk Safe Long Island aptly describes the situation as a “silent epidemic” because it happens far too often. Over the past three years in Nassau and Suffolk counties, 515 people have been hit and injured while walking or biking.
Many of these accidents involve elderly individuals attempting to cross the road, often when vehicles are making left-hand turns. Additionally, joggers face significant risks, especially in areas lacking sidewalks. The recent tragic case of Ilyona Kaydanov, a 22-year-old ballroom dancer from Commack, who was hit and killed while jogging, serves as a stark reminder of the dangers pedestrians and cyclists face daily. Her family’s grief is compounded by the fact that the driver responsible has not been charged.