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A Selden man struck a woman with his car, walked over to her injured body, dragged her to the shoulder and drove away without calling for help, prosecutors said Tuesday, while announcing the driver’s indictment in the woman’s hit-and-run death.
Lan Truong, 44, pleaded not guilty at this arraignment Tuesday to a felony charge of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting in the crash that killed 37-year-old Victoria Hutson of Selden. He also faces a traffic infraction for unlicensed driving.
Prosecutors said the collision happened about 11:21 a.m. on Nov. 5, when Truong was driving a 2016 Toyota Camry north on Boyle Road and swerved onto the right shoulder, striking Hutson as she walked. The impact threw her partially into the roadway.
Instead of calling 911, investigators said, Truong stopped at the next intersection, got out, returned to Hutson and dragged her off the roadway before driving away as bystanders tried to save her.
Hutson, a peace officer for New York City’s Department of Homeless Services who would have celebrated her 38th birthday last Tuesday, died at the scene from her injuries.
Detectives later found Truong’s Camry behind his residence with blood on the windshield, passenger-side door and passenger-side window, Suffolk County District AttorneyRaymond Tierney said. The car was seized as evidence, and Truong was arrested the next day.
Suffolk Supreme Court Justice John Collins ordered Truong held on $200,000 cash bail, $400,000 bond or $2 million partially secured bond. He is due back in court on Dec. 16 and faces up to 2⅓ to 7 years in prison if convicted on the top charge.
Friends and family flooded social media with tributes to Hutson, who is one of 12 siblings, in the days following her death.
“I feel grateful beyond measure to have met you… and to have seen firsthand the beautiful person you are,” Tina Webber wrote.
“Vick was such a bright light in the lives of everyone who knew her,” Constance Carter posted.
“My heart hurts… this feels like a bad dream,” Tiana Esco wrote.
Hutson was originally from New York City. Her family has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Top photos: Defendant Lan Truong, provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, and Victoria Huton (Facebook)
