A Selden man has admitted he was behind the wheel in a deadly November hit-and-run that killed a New York City Department of Homeless Services peace officer, a case that has put fresh heat on New York’s penalties for drivers who flee fatal crashes. On Tuesday in Suffolk County court, Lan Huynh Truong pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in death and to operating a motor vehicle without a license. His sentencing is set for Aug. 12.
According to Greater Long Island, court documents and Truong’s plea admissions say he was driving north on Boyle Road at about 11:21 a.m. on Nov. 5 when he swerved into the shoulder and struck 37-year-old pedestrian Victoria Hutson. Prosecutors say Truong got out of the car, dragged Hutson off the roadway, then drove off without calling 911 or offering any aid, actions they note were spelled out in his own plea.
Detectives later tracked a 2016 Toyota Camry to behind Truong’s home and seized it after spotting what appeared to be blood on the windshield and on the passenger side, according to the Suffolk County Police. Bystanders attempted lifesaving measures at the scene, but officials said Hutson was pronounced dead there.
Victim and community reaction
Hutson, 37, worked as a peace officer for the New York City Department of Homeless Services, and her death quickly sparked anger and grief from family members who demanded accountability. Earlier reporting and family statements captured local pleas for justice in the days after the crash, as detailed by Patch.
Prosecutors press for tougher penalties as sentencing approaches
Prosecutors pointed to Truong’s prior convictions for driving while intoxicated in 2012 and 2016 and argued that the admissions in his plea highlight how serious the conduct was. The guilty plea to leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death, a class D felony, carries a potential sentence of roughly 2⅓ to 7 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for Aug. 12, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. District Attorney Raymond Tierney has blasted that range as “grossly inadequate” for what prosecutors say happened on Boyle Road and has urged state lawmakers to toughen penalties for drivers who leave the scene of deadly crashes.
