Police Identify Cyclist Who Died In Atlantic Beach Hit And Run, Police Say

Police Identify Cyclist Who Died In Atlantic Beach Hit And Run, Police Say. Long Island, NY

Updated Mar 26, 2026
MINOR INCIDENT
Town
Atlantic Beach
Reported
Source
News Sources

Map showing incident location at 40.7800, -73.3000 Incident location, Long Island

What Happened

Nassau County police have identified the cyclist who died in a hit-and-run crash in Atlantic Beach Tuesday morning as 59-year-old Tony Thomas of Far Rockaway, according to authorities who announced the identification Thursday morning.

Thomas was struck by an eastbound Honda HRV at 7:46 a.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Beech Street and Scott Drive in Atlantic Beach, Nassau County police said. The collision occurred during the morning commute hours in the residential area of the barrier island community.

Following the impact, the driver of the Honda HRV fled the scene, leaving Thomas at the crash site, police said. Long Beach Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and pronounced Thomas dead, according to authorities.

Police said they later identified and arrested the driver of the HRV as 67-year-old Erin Henry. Henry was charged with leaving the scene of an accident that caused a death, according to Nassau County police.

The fatal crash initially prompted police to close the street while investigators processed the scene and gathered evidence. The intersection of Beech Street and Scott Drive remained under investigation as authorities worked to piece together the circumstances that led to Thomas’s death.

The identification of Thomas came two days after the initial crash, as police worked to notify family members and complete their preliminary investigation into the hit-and-run incident that shook the small barrier island community.

Location & Road Context

The fatal collision occurred near the intersection of Beech Street and Scott Drive in Atlantic Beach, a small incorporated village on the South Shore of Nassau County. Atlantic Beach is located on a barrier island accessible via bridges from Lawrence and Long Beach, making it a relatively contained residential community with limited through-traffic.

Beech Street runs north-south through the village, connecting residential neighborhoods to the main thoroughfares that provide access on and off the barrier island. The intersection with Scott Drive sits in a predominantly residential area where local traffic typically moves at lower speeds through the neighborhood streets.

Nassau County police arrested 67-year-old Erin Henry in connection with the fatal hit-and-run, charging her with leaving the scene of an accident that caused a death. This charge is a felony under New York State law when the accident results in serious physical injury or death.

The investigation began immediately after the 7:46 a.m. crash Tuesday, with police working to identify the vehicle and driver who fled the scene. The arrest came after police were able to track down the Honda HRV and its driver, though authorities have not released details about how they located Henry or what evidence led to her identification as the driver.

Broader Impact

The fatal hit-and-run represents a serious escalation in charges for Henry, as leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death carries significantly harsher penalties than standard hit-and-run incidents. Under New York law, this felony charge can result in up to seven years in prison, reflecting the legislature’s intent to deter drivers from fleeing fatal crash scenes where immediate medical attention might save lives.

Topics

Atlantic BeachAtlantic Beach trafficAtlantic Beach accidenthit-and-runLong Island accident todayLong Island traffic todayLong IslandNY

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I'm in a car accident in Atlantic Beach?

Call 911 immediately if anyone is injured or if the vehicles can't be moved safely off the roadway. Stay at the scene — leaving the scene of an accident with injuries is a crime under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law §600. Exchange license, registration, and insurance information with every other driver involved. Take photographs of every vehicle, the position of the vehicles before they're moved, all license plates, the road surface, traffic signs, and any visible injuries. Get the names and phone numbers of every witness — police often won't capture bystander witnesses on their own. Seek medical attention within 24 hours even if you feel fine; soft-tissue injuries and concussions can take a day or two to present, and a delayed medical visit weakens an injury claim. In Nassau County, NCPD responds outside of incorporated villages. In Suffolk County, SCPD covers the five western towns; East End towns have their own forces. New York State Police Troop L responds to accidents on state highways across both counties.

How long do I have to file a no-fault claim in New York?

Thirty days. New York Insurance Law §5102 requires you to file a Personal Injury Protection (PIP/no-fault) application with the insurer of the vehicle you were in (or, if you were a pedestrian or cyclist, with the insurer of the striking vehicle) within 30 days of the accident. Missing the 30-day deadline can void your no-fault benefits — that's up to $50,000 in medical bills and 80% of lost wages (capped at $2,000/month) per injured person. The form is the NF-2 application; your insurance carrier provides it on request. New York no-fault is a true PIP system: it pays regardless of who caused the crash.

How long do I have to sue after a Long Island car accident?

Three years from the date of the accident for personal injury claims under CPLR §214(5). Wrongful death claims have a two-year deadline under EPTL §5-4.1. If a government entity is involved (a county vehicle, a road defect on a state highway, a defective traffic signal, a county bus), you must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days under General Municipal Law §50-e — that's a non-negotiable jurisdictional deadline, and missing it usually bars the claim entirely. Property-damage-only claims have the same three-year clock. The clock starts on the day of the accident, not the day you discover the full extent of an injury.

How do I get a copy of the police accident report?

If local police responded to the scene, the report is filed under an MV-104A form. In New York State, you can request a copy through the DMV at https://dmv.ny.gov/vehicle-safety/get-copy-accident-report (roughly $7 online, $10 by mail) once the responding agency has uploaded it to the state system, which usually takes 5-10 business days. NCPD and SCPD also have their own direct-request processes through the precinct that responded. If you weren't injured but the property damage exceeded $1,000, New York VTL §605 requires you (the driver) to file your own MV-104 report with the DMV within 10 days regardless of whether police responded.

How dangerous is This Road near Atlantic Beach?

Long Island Traffic tracks every reported incident on this road across both counties — see the road profile page for the multi-year accident count, severity distribution, and the specific intersections that show repeated incident clusters. Suffolk and Nassau county roads with chronic problems are reviewed by their respective DOTs on a multi-year cadence; persistent issues are sometimes addressed with new signal phasing, lane-narrowing treatments, or — in extreme cases — a Vision Zero engineering response. Daily incident updates flow into our live-events feed every fifteen minutes.

Disclaimer: Incident information on this page is compiled from public sources including police reports, traffic agencies, and news outlets. It is provided for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current status of this incident. Do not rely on this information for legal, insurance, or emergency decisions. For emergencies, call 911.