By Jeff Lipton
Both fatal accidents took place at Peninsula Boulevard and Woodmere Boulevard. The one on Saturday occurred sometime before 6 a.m., when the body of a man, identified as 43-year-old Jose Hernandez of Loretta Street in Inwood, was found lying on the shoulder of Peninsula Boulevard, northeast of Woodmere Boulevard, by a passing motorist, investigators said.
According to Sgt. Dennis Barry of Nassau County Homicide, the victim worked for a caterer on Central Avenue in Woodmere and was on his way home when he was struck by a car, which was then driven away, leaving the victim dying. Barry said the driver of the car probably knew a pedestrian was struck and the incident is being investigated as a hit-and-run. Barry said Hernandez was probably walking across the street when he was struck.
"We would be hard-pressed to find that the driver did not know that someone was struck," said Barry. "We also found some debris from the car in the roadway."
He said a passing motorist saw the body in the roadway and called 911. Barry said they are searching for the hit and run driver. "We're looking for anyone who may have witnessed it or may know someone who suddenly has front-end damage to call us."
The debris came from the vehicle's grill, Barry said. Barry said he's not sure how long the victim had been dead before his body was discovered.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous, police said.
The body has been turned over to the Nassau County Medical Examiner, who will complete an autopsy.
Sunday's accident happened at 1:15 p.m. when one driver, identified as Samuel Kugler, 84, of Woodmere, was driving his 1990 Toyota southbound on Peninsula Boulevard and was making a left turn onto Woodmere Boulevard, police said. He collided with a car driven by Rochel Avner, 24, of Lawrence, who was driving a 2004 Infiniti northbound on Peninsula Boulevard, police said.
Kugler was rushed to South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, where he was pronounced dead at 1:47 p.m., police said.
Avner was taken to South Nassau, where she was treated for head and neck injuries, and then released.
Nissan Nechama, 22, of Far Rockaway, a front-seat passenger in Avner's car, was also treated at South Nassau for head and neck injuries, and then released. No charges were filed, Barry said.
Residents in the area said they have seen too many accidents at the intersection of Peninsula Boulevard and Woodmere Boulevard.
"These are massive accidents," said Gail Berman, a resident of Woodmere Park. "And we can't get anybody to do anything about this. We have to make a big stink about this. It seems that there's an accident over there every four days. Some of them aren't major, but they are accidents."
Berman pleaded for more traffic controls and enforcement to protect motorists and pedestrians. "More people are going to get killed over there unless something is done," she said. "They should put up a sign that says, 'Slow down.' And people are jumping the light all the time, including tractor-trailers."
Inspector Richard McGuire, commanding officer of the Fourth Precinct, said police continue to step up enforcement at the intersection.
He said that since the beginning of the year, police officers have issued 82 summonses for violations such as cell phone use, passing red lights, failure to signal lane changes and speeding. McGuire called it the third highest accident location in the Fourth Precinct, which takes in the Five Towns, Atlantic Beach, Oceanside, Island Park, East Rockaway, Lido Beach and Point Lookout.
"It's a major intersection with a very high volume of traffic," McGuire said. "We are doing enforcement and educating the public at meetings, telling them to drive carefully. The whole purpose of enforcement is to try and change driving behaviors."
Police Officer Karen Dowling, a crime analyst for the Fourth Precinct, said that from January 1, 2003, through Feb. 28, 2005, there were 45 accidents reported at the intersection of Peninsula Boulevard and Woodmere Boulevard, with 24 of those accidents resulting in injuries, and no fatalities.
The most accidents were recorded in June 2003, with five.
Comments about this story? Jlipton@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 204.
