Police arrested a 67-year-old man Monday after an SUV appeared to drive into a group of children riding bikes on a West Islip street Sunday night, a scare that left a 13-year-old shaken but not seriously hurt.
Neighbors and home cameras captured the collision on Roderick Road near Spruce Avenue at about 7:45 p.m., and one boy’s bicycle was dragged under the vehicle as it sped away. The boy, identified by his family as 13-year-old Will McCaw, jumped off his bike and suffered minor injuries. His family later turned to social media to help identify the driver, and a tip about a nearby sighting eventually reached investigators.
Home Video Captures SUV Swerving Into Biking Kids
Home footage shared with local TV shows the SUV slow, veer toward the group and make contact before pulling away with a bicycle still lodged beneath it, according to News 12 Long Island. The street sits around the corner from Oquenock Elementary School, and residents told the station they heard the children screaming when the vehicle struck them. News 12 reports the family says one boy suffered only minor injuries.
Cops Track Down Suspect And File Charges
Suffolk County police later identified the driver as 67-year-old Charles Dreitlein and detained him outside his Deer Park home, as reported by NBC New York. Authorities say Dreitlein faces multiple counts including third-degree assault and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in personal injury, according to the report.
Family: 'I Was Scared For My Life'
"I was scared for my life," the 13-year-old told reporters, saying the driver did not stop after striking the group, NBC New York reports. Will's father said the driver "targeted" the children and warned it "could be worse next time," while his mother described the man's driving as "psychopathic." The family says the boy's prized SoCal Flyer Beastmode bike, a model they estimate at more than $1,000, was dragged along the street as the SUV fled the scene.
Tip Led Detectives To Kane Street
The McCaw family posted video and photos on social media and, around 1 p.m. Monday, someone called with a tip about a bike sighting on Kane Street that helped officers locate the vehicle, according to News 12 Long Island. Suffolk County police are investigating the hit-and-run and say they welcome tips from anyone with information.
How To Reach Police
The Suffolk County Police Department lists 631-852-6000 and the non-emergency tip line 852-COPS (2677) on its website for residents with information about local incidents, and detectives say they are accepting leads related to Sunday’s crash, per the Suffolk County Police Department website. Local parents say the close call, on a street near an elementary school, has left neighbors rattled and watching for repeat incidents.
