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Exactly two years have passed since Robert Twiford stepped out of his car on a cold December night in Ronkonkoma and was killed by a hit-and-run driver.
Now, Suffolk County Police are renewing their call for assistance in identifying the person who was behind the wheel of the light-colored vehicle involved in the Dec. 5, 2022, tragedy.
Detectives said Robert Twiford, 61, of Melville (pictured above in the inset photo) had parked his vehicle on the off-ramp of the eastbound Long Island Expressway at Exit 60 and exited his car when he was struck by a vehicle as he was standing in the lane of travel. The driver fled the scene, leaving Twiford critically injured, police said.
A short time later, the suspect, wearing shorts just below the knees, was recorded stopping on Garrity Avenue in Ronkonkoma, exiting the vehicle and inspecting it with a flashlight before driving away, police said. The vehicle is described as a light-colored, possibly gray, 2015 to 2018 Ford Focus hatchback. Twiford was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The video below shows the driver pulling over and examining his car.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Major Case Unit detectives are asking anyone with information about the incident or the vehicle involved to come forward.
How to help
If you have information that could assist investigators, contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1.800.220.TIPS.
Top photos: The inset image is a photo of Robert Twiford, 61, who was struck and killed in the Dec. 5, 2022, incident. The larger photo shows the driver inspecting his car moments the vehicle struck Twiford.
