Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
An 80-year-old Brentwood man was killed in the early-morning hours of Monday, June 15, 2026, after being struck by a vehicle on Suffolk Avenue near Fulton Street in Brentwood, according to an official press release from the Suffolk County Police Department. The crash was reported at approximately 2:20 a.m., when darkness and limited visibility on the roadway would have been significant factors.
The victim, identified as Richard Jennings, 80, of Brentwood, was in the eastbound lane of eastbound Suffolk Avenue when he was struck by a 2017 Ford Escape, according to the Suffolk County Police Department. The driver of that vehicle was identified as Britney Barbaron Rojas, 23, of Islip. The precise circumstances that placed Jennings in the travel lane at that hour — whether he was crossing the roadway, walking along the shoulder, or in the lane for another reason — have not yet been confirmed by police.
Jennings was transported to a local hospital following the crash, where he was subsequently pronounced dead, per the department’s press release. His age and the hour of the incident are two of the most immediately striking aspects of this tragedy. Whether adequate lighting, reflective clothing, or other pedestrian safety factors played a role remains under investigation, and additional details remain limited at this stage.
Barbaron Rojas, 23, of Islip, was the operator of the striking vehicle. Police have not yet confirmed her condition following the crash, nor have they publicly detailed the speed of the Ford Escape at the time of impact or whether any other vehicles were involved. The direction and movement of the Escape on Suffolk Avenue — whether it was also traveling eastbound or under other circumstances — have not been specified beyond what is contained in the official release. Further information regarding any sobriety testing, distracted driving, or other potential contributing factors has not been publicly disclosed, and police have not yet confirmed whether charges have been filed.
The investigation is being handled by detectives assigned to the Suffolk County Police Third Squad, which covers the central portion of Suffolk County including the Brentwood area. Third Squad detectives routinely manage serious and fatal traffic crash investigations in this zone, and their involvement indicates the case is being treated with the full weight of a fatality probe.
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred on Suffolk Avenue near its intersection with Fulton Street in Brentwood, a densely populated hamlet in the Town of Islip. Suffolk Avenue — also known in portions as County Road 4 — is a major east-west arterial that serves as a primary commercial and residential corridor through central Suffolk County, carrying significant traffic volumes throughout its length. In the Brentwood area, the road is lined with businesses, bus stops, and residential driveways, and is a frequent route for pedestrians navigating the community, which has among the highest population densities in Suffolk County.
Our local incident database currently records 457 accidents in Suffolk County, reflecting the scale of traffic risk across the county’s road network. Suffolk Avenue near Fulton Street has one recorded incident in our database — this fatal crash — though the broader corridor has historically seen elevated pedestrian activity given the area’s walkability and public transit usage. A crash at 2:20 a.m. in this location raises questions about nighttime visibility conditions along this stretch of roadway, and details about lighting infrastructure remain limited.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
As of the time of publication, the Suffolk County Police Department’s official press release had not specified charges filed against Britney Barbaron Rojas in connection with the fatal crash. Third Squad detectives have opened a formal investigation, and the case remains active. The full excerpt available from the official release indicates that Barbaron Rojas’s hometown of Islip was confirmed, but information regarding arrest, arraignment, bail status, or potential charges — such as vehicular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, or DWI — has not yet been confirmed by police and details remain limited pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Under New York State law, a fatal crash involving a pedestrian can give rise to a range of charges depending on what investigators determine about the driver’s conduct. If alcohol or drugs are found to be a factor, charges can escalate significantly; if the crash is determined to involve reckless or negligent operation, prosecutors may pursue felony charges. None of these scenarios have been confirmed in this case, and police have not yet released that information publicly.
Broader Impact
Suffolk Avenue near Brentwood’s commercial core is a high-pedestrian corridor, particularly for residents who rely on walking and public transit rather than personal vehicles. A fatal pedestrian crash at 2:20 a.m. underscores the particular danger posed to pedestrians on multi-lane arterials during overnight hours, when vehicle speeds tend to be higher, lighting is reduced, and drivers may be less alert. Suffolk County has recorded multiple critical-severity crashes in recent days alone — including a fatal crash involving an off-duty Suffolk County police officer under investigation by the State Attorney General’s Office and a major vehicle fire on I-495 — reflecting an ongoing pattern of serious roadway incidents across the county that continues to draw law enforcement attention.