Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 67-year-old Deer Park man was arrested Monday evening after allegedly striking a 13-year-old bicyclist with his vehicle and driving away from the scene without stopping in West Islip, according to News 12 Long Island.
Suffolk County Police identified the driver as Charles Dreitlein, 67, of Deer Park. According to authorities, Dreitlein struck the young bicyclist at the intersection of Ruth Street and Kane Street at approximately 7:35 p.m. on Sunday. The collision placed a 13-year-old child — who was riding a bicycle — directly in the path of Dreitlein’s vehicle at that intersection.
Following the impact, News 12 Long Island reports that Dreitlein did not remain at the scene as required by law. Instead, he continued driving along Roderick Road, leaving the injured child behind. Suffolk County Police launched an investigation into the incident following the Sunday evening crash. That investigation led officers to Dreitlein’s home, where he was taken into custody on Monday evening — approximately 24 hours after the alleged hit-and-run occurred.
Dreitlein was charged with assault and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury, according to News 12 Long Island. The report did not include details on the exact nature or severity of the 13-year-old victim’s injuries, nor did it specify what type of vehicle Dreitlein was driving. No information about speed, weather conditions at the time of the crash, or what caused the initial collision was included in the source report. No quotes from law enforcement, witnesses, or family members were made available at the time of publication.
The incident unfolded in a residential area of West Islip, a hamlet in the Town of Babylon in Suffolk County. The intersection of Ruth Street and Kane Street, where the collision took place, is a neighborhood-level crossing, and the nearby Roderick Road — where Dreitlein allegedly fled — is a local residential street. The fact that Dreitlein was found at his Deer Park home suggests he did not travel far after leaving the scene, which may have aided investigators in locating him quickly.
Location & Road Context
The crash took place in West Islip, a hamlet located along the South Shore of Long Island within the Town of Babylon. Ruth Street, Kane Street, and Roderick Road are all local residential roads in a neighborhood setting, not high-speed arterials or state-maintained roadways. Residential intersections like these are common locations for bicycle-involved crashes, particularly during evening hours when visibility can be reduced and vehicle speeds may not be moderated for the presence of young cyclists. Deer Park, where Dreitlein resides, is an adjacent hamlet just a short distance from West Islip, both falling within Suffolk County.
For current road conditions and traffic alerts in the area, visit 511NY or check our Suffolk County roads page.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Suffolk County Police investigated the Sunday evening hit-and-run and moved swiftly, locating and arresting Dreitlein outside his Deer Park home on Monday evening, according to News 12 Long Island. The charges filed against Dreitlein are assault and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury — the latter being a specific criminal charge under New York State law that applies when a driver flees the scene of a crash in which another person is physically harmed.
Dreitlein was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday at the First District Court in Central Islip. No information regarding bail, a defense attorney, or any statement from Dreitlein or his representatives was included in the initial report. The investigation’s outcome and any additional charges that may arise pending a full review of the victim’s injuries remain to be seen as the case moves through the Suffolk County court system.
Broader Impact
Under New York State law, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury is a class A misdemeanor, which carries potential penalties including up to one year in jail and a fine. However, depending on the severity of the victim’s injuries, prosecutors may have grounds to pursue a more serious felony-level charge. The assault charge filed against Dreitlein adds a separate layer of criminal exposure beyond the typical hit-and-run statute, signaling that investigators believe the conduct rose above a simple failure to stop. Parents and cyclists in the West Islip area are encouraged to review bicycle safety resources and remain vigilant on residential roads, especially during evening hours when vehicle-bicycle conflicts are statistically more common.