According to Nassau County police, Bautz was crossing Hempstead Turnpike, just east of Merrick Avenue, on Monday, Nov. 25 when a westbound car hit him and kept driving. A second car heading westbound hit him and stopped, police said.
Suffering from serious injuries, Bautz was rushed to nearby Nassau University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 9 p.m.
Police are still searching for the woman they believe was driving the dark-colored Honda Accord that hit Bautz.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.
Colleagues described Bautz in published reports as a dedicated detective. A knee injury sustained on the job, however, forced his retirement about six years ago.
While growing up in East Meadow, Bautz was a stellar athlete, playing lacrosse for East Meadow High School and later in college as a student of the University of Maryland and Hofstra.
A funeral Mass was celebrated for Bautz on Monday, Dec. 2 at St. Bernard's Roman Catholic Church in Levittown. He was buried at St. Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale.
Bautz is survived by his children, Richard Jr. and Lisa, of Sayville; his parents, Albert and Rosetta of East Meadow; his brothers, Robert of Suffolk and Gary of East Meadow; and his sisters, Carol Oleksiak of East Meadow and Linda Vantil of Vienna, Maine.
