What to Know
- A man leaving a diner on Long Island was struck and killed Wednesday afternoon by an intoxicated driver, who is now under arrest, according to police.
- Detectives say that police responded to the parking lot of On Parade Diner located on Jericho Turnpike for a car accident.
- Allegedly, Willem Specht, 62, entered his gray 2004 Infiniti sedan where he backed up southbound and struck another man, 61, who just exited the diner.
A man leaving a diner on Long Island was struck and killed Wednesday afternoon by an intoxicated driver, who is now under arrest, according to police.
According to the Nassau County Police Department Homicide Squad, police received reports of the accident that took place around 2:30 p.m. in Woodbury. Detectives say that police responded to the parking lot of On Parade Diner located on Jericho Turnpike for a car accident.
Allegedly, Willem Specht, 62, entered his gray 2004 Infiniti sedan where he backed up and struck another man, a 61-year-old, who had just exited the diner. Police said that Specht went to the diner to pick up soup, but as he backed up his car to leave, it accelerated and slammed into the victim, later identified as Joseph DeVito, a grandfather.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
DeVito suffered severe trauma and was transported by Nassau County Ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:45 p.m.
Specht remained at the scene and was arrested. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless endangerment in the 2nd degree, assault in the 2nd degree degree, vehicular manslaughter in the 2nd degree and manslaughter in the 2nd degree.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Right after, his brother offered condolences to DeVito's family outside court in Hempstead.
News
The felony complaint states Specht had slurred speech and red glossy eyes after the crash, with a BAC level nearly three times the legal limit. According to the document, Specht told police his vehicle had accelerated rapidly on its own.
The victims family said in a statement that "Joe DeVito loved God and others with his whole heart. His priority was always to help all whose path he crossed. The immense tragedy of his sudden passing is too much to bear."
Attorney information for Specht was not immediately known.
