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Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 24-year-old Wyandanch woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a deadly hit-and-run crash in Freeport that killed a 76-year-old grandfather nearly two months ago, Nassau County police announced on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
A 76-year-old West Babylon resident was struck and killed on November 8, 2025, while walking across the street at the intersection of North Grove Street and Brooklyn Avenue in Freeport. According to Nassau County police, the victim was hit by a light-colored sedan, which immediately fled the scene. He had been on his way to the Freeport Long Island Rail Road station after finishing a day of work, according to his family.
The victim was transported from the crash scene with critical injuries. He was declared brain dead a few days after the collision, and Nassau County police officially announced his death on November 20, 2025 — nearly two weeks after the crash itself. He was 76 years old and was described by family as a grandfather.
Heidy Zelaya Almendarez, the 24-year-old Wyandanch resident now charged in connection with the crash, was arraigned Monday, December 29, 2025, according to a Nassau County Police Department alert. As reported by News 12 Long Island, investigators identified Zelaya Almendarez through surveillance video that allegedly showed her hiding her car in her backyard in the immediate aftermath of the fatal collision. Prosecutors did not provide additional details about the vehicle’s make and model beyond the initial description of a light-colored sedan.
Zelaya Almendarez was charged with two counts: leaving the scene of an incident without reporting with a fatality, and tampering with physical evidence. She posted $75,000 cash bail following her arraignment and was released, according to News 12 Long Island.
In a remarkable postscript to the tragedy, the victim’s family confirmed that he was an organ donor. Newsday reported that his liver was successfully transplanted and helped save the life of a man in Texas, offering a measure of hope amid a devastating loss for his family and community.
Location & Road Context
The crash took place at the intersection of North Grove Street and Brooklyn Avenue in Freeport, a residential and commercial area of Nassau County situated near the Freeport Long Island Rail Road station. The Freeport LIRR station is a hub for commuters traveling to and from New York City, and pedestrian foot traffic around the station — particularly during morning and evening work hours — is a consistent feature of that neighborhood.
North Grove Street and Brooklyn Avenue represent a typical surface-street intersection in the Freeport area, where pedestrians regularly cross to access the LIRR platform and surrounding businesses. The victim was making exactly that transit when he was struck. For ongoing accident reports and traffic conditions across Nassau County, visit our dedicated coverage pages.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The investigation was led by Nassau County police, who identified Zelaya Almendarez as the suspect through surveillance footage recovered in the weeks following the November 8 crash. According to the New York Daily News, that footage allegedly showed her returning home after the crash and concealing her vehicle in her backyard — conduct that formed the basis of the tampering with physical evidence charge.
Zelaya Almendarez was arraigned in Nassau County on Monday, December 29, approximately seven weeks after police announced the victim’s death. She faces the charge of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting with a fatality — a serious felony under New York State law — as well as tampering with physical evidence. Bail was set at $75,000 cash, which she posted following the arraignment. The case is now proceeding through the Nassau County court system. Prosecutors have not yet disclosed the full evidentiary record or announced a trial date.