Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Jason Jean-Joseph, 24, of West Babylon, pleaded guilty Tuesday to manslaughter and weapons charges for a fatal crash that killed a jogger while he was fleeing from police in Wyandanch last summer. The defendant struck and killed Hillel Fuld, 29, of New York City, on June 13, 2025, just before 7:30 p.m. while driving eastbound on Wyandanch Avenue at high speed to evade law enforcement, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
The deadly sequence began when Suffolk County police attempted to initiate a traffic stop of Jean-Joseph, who was driving a 2018 BMW 5 Series, prosecutors say. According to court documents and the defendant’s statements during his guilty plea allocution before Acting Supreme Court Justice Anthony S. Senft, Jr., Jean-Joseph was driving with a suspended license when he saw the marked police unit’s lights activate. Rather than pull over, the defendant accelerated away from the police vehicle, fleeing at dangerous speeds through the Wyandanch neighborhood.
As Jean-Joseph turned onto Wyandanch Avenue and accelerated in an eastbound direction, his BMW struck Fuld, who was jogging along the roadway. The impact proved fatal for the 29-year-old New York City resident. Rather than stop to render aid or check on the victim’s condition, Jean-Joseph left Fuld lying in the roadway and continued fleeing from the scene without pulling over, according to prosecutors. Emergency responders transported the critically injured jogger to Good Samaritan University Hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead.
Following the deadly hit-and-run, Jean-Joseph drove his damaged BMW to a location in Babylon, where he abandoned the vehicle on the side of the road. When he fled on foot from the crash scene, the defendant also discarded a loaded 9mm pistol containing a high-capacity magazine in a wooded area south of John Street, prosecutors revealed. The weapon discovery added serious firearms charges to the vehicular homicide case.
Suffolk County police conducted an extensive investigation led by Detective Richard Hennes of the Major Case Unit over the following months. The investigation ultimately led to Jean-Joseph’s arrest on August 29, 2025, more than two months after the fatal crash. On March 31, 2026, Jean-Joseph entered his guilty plea to multiple felony charges, accepting responsibility for the deadly chain of events that began with his decision to flee from police.
“Fleeing from the police puts the lives of everyone in danger. Here, this defendant’s dangerous and reckless choice killed a 29-year-old man simply out jogging,” District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said in announcing the plea agreement. “Nothing can bring back Hillel Fuld, but today’s plea affirms that the defendant will be held accountable for his unconscionable actions.”
Location & Road Context
The fatal crash occurred on Wyandanch Avenue in the hamlet of Wyandanch, a densely populated area in the Town of Babylon. Wyandanch Avenue serves as a major east-west thoroughfare through the community, connecting residential neighborhoods with commercial districts and providing access to the Long Island Rail Road station. The roadway experiences significant pedestrian traffic, particularly during evening hours when residents are commuting from work or exercising outdoors.
The location where Fuld was struck while jogging reflects the mixed-use nature of Wyandanch Avenue, where vehicular traffic shares the corridor with pedestrians and cyclists. The timing of the crash, just before 7:30 p.m. on a June evening, coincided with peak pedestrian activity as residents took advantage of the longer daylight hours for outdoor exercise.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Jean-Joseph faces a comprehensive array of charges reflecting the severity of his actions on June 13, 2025. During his guilty plea before Acting Supreme Court Justice Anthony S. Senft, Jr., the defendant admitted to one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony, and one count of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, also a Class C felony. Additional charges include Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D violent felony; Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a Class D felony; Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, a Class D felony; Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in the First Degree, a Class D felony; and Reckless Driving, an unclassified misdemeanor.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Alexander Bopp of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Vehicular Crime Bureau, while Jean-Joseph is represented by defense attorney Keith O’Halloran, Esq. Jean-Joseph is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on May 1, 2026, where Justice Senft will determine the final penalties for each charge. The defendant’s guilty plea eliminates the need for a trial and ensures he will face consequences for the fatal crash and related weapons charges.
Broader Impact
The presence of a loaded 9mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine in Jean-Joseph’s possession during the incident elevated the case beyond a typical vehicular homicide, adding federal implications due to New York’s strict gun laws. The defendant’s decision to discard the weapon while fleeing demonstrates the premeditated nature of his efforts to evade accountability, factors that prosecutors will likely emphasize during the May sentencing hearing to seek maximum penalties under state guidelines.