Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 13-year-old boy riding a bicycle was struck by an SUV and left injured on Roderick Road in West Islip on Sunday evening, June 8, 2026, in what police are calling a hit-and-run. The driver, identified as Charles Dreitlein of Deer Park, allegedly fled the scene after the collision, with the victim’s bicycle lodged beneath his vehicle, according to News 12 Long Island.
The incident unfolded at approximately 7:45 p.m. Sunday when the boy was riding among a group of children on bicycles. Surveillance video first obtained and reported by News 12 Long Island shows a driver heading directly toward the group of children. In the footage, one child falls, and an SUV can then be seen driving away from the scene with a bicycle visibly lodged underneath the vehicle. The driver did not stop to render aid to the injured boy.
The teenage victim’s father, William McCaw, confirmed that his son sustained hand, leg, and head injuries as a result of the collision. McCaw described the emotional toll on his son in stark terms. “He’s a little bit stressed out… traumatized is the best word,” McCaw told News 12. The boy’s recovery is ongoing, and McCaw expressed hope that his son would continue to heal in the days and weeks ahead.
Approximately one mile from the crash site on Roderick Road, a neighbor near the intersection of Ruth Street and Kane Street reported hearing a loud screech at around 7:45 p.m. Sunday. That neighbor then discovered a mangled bicycle lying in the roadway — consistent with the account that the vehicle had dragged the bicycle a significant distance from the point of impact before it came loose. The proximity of these two locations helps reconstruct the path Dreitlein allegedly traveled after striking the boy.
Dreitlein was arrested on Monday, June 9, 2026 — approximately one day after the crash. When approached by News 12 reporters at his home following his arrest, Dreitlein declined to comment. Police charged him with third-degree assault and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury, both misdemeanor-level offenses under New York State law.
McCaw told News 12 Long Island that while he is grateful authorities made an arrest within a single day, he believes the charges fall far short of what is warranted given the nature of the incident. “The charges are weak. The charges need to be upgraded,” McCaw said pointedly. He went further, alleging that the act was not accidental: “He intentionally targeted these kids.” McCaw issued a direct warning to authorities: “If they don’t [upgrade the charges], they’re going to hear from me and maybe other angry parents in the community.” His calls reflect a growing demand from within the West Islip community for law enforcement and prosecutors to treat the case with the severity he believes it deserves.
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred on Roderick Road in West Islip, a residential community in the Town of Babylon in Suffolk County. West Islip’s neighborhood streets, including Roderick Road, are typical of South Shore Long Island — lower-speed residential corridors that often see heavy foot and bicycle traffic, particularly among school-aged children during evening hours in warmer months. The secondary scene near Ruth Street and Kane Street — where a neighbor found a mangled bicycle in the roadway approximately one mile from the point of impact — underscores the distance Dreitlein allegedly traveled without stopping after the collision.
West Islip sits along the South Shore and is bordered by Deer Park to the north, where Dreitlein resides. The short geographic distance between the crash location and the suspect’s home community is notable. For drivers and cyclists traveling through the area, conditions on residential side streets like Roderick Road present unique vulnerabilities, particularly for younger riders who may be less visible at dusk. There are no road statistics currently available specific to Roderick Road in our Long Island accident database.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Charles Dreitlein was arrested Monday, June 9, 2026, and charged with two misdemeanor counts: third-degree assault and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury. He declined to comment to News 12 reporters when approached at his Deer Park home. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office confirmed that Dreitlein is scheduled to face a judge on June 26, 2026, according to reporting from News 12 Long Island.
The father’s demand for upgraded charges has placed public pressure on the Suffolk DA’s office ahead of that court date. Under New York Penal Law, third-degree assault is a Class A misdemeanor, carrying a maximum sentence of one year. McCaw and potentially other community members may advocate for felony-level charges — which could apply if prosecutors determine the act was intentional, as McCaw alleges the video evidence suggests. The case remains under scrutiny, and the June 26 arraignment will be a critical juncture for determining how prosecutors plan to proceed.
Broader Impact
This incident is part of a troubling recent pattern of bicycle-related collisions on Long Island. Just days earlier, Long Island Traffic reported a man arrested for striking a bicyclist on June 8, 2026, and a separate report of a man arrested for striking a 13-year-old bicyclist with a vehicle also surfaced on June 9. The fact that both of the most recent incidents involved 13-year-old cyclists is particularly alarming and amplifies the urgency of McCaw’s call for accountability — and for the broader community to remain vigilant about the safety of young riders on neighborhood streets across Long Island.