Jesus Matute, of Patchogue, charged in deadly hit-and-run of Nicholas Puzio, of Farmingville
A Patchogue man was arrested Thursday on charges of leaving the scene of a deadly crash more than one year ago — the second driver to be arrested in the hit-and-run, Suffolk County police said.
Jesus Matute, 73, of Rose Avenue, was arrested at the Fifth Precinct in Patchogue and charged with leaving the scene of an accident with a fatality.
Matute was arraigned Thursday at Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, where he pleaded not guilty and was released without cash bail, according to online court records.
Following an investigation by major case unit detectives, Matute was identified as the driver of a 2005 Nissan SUV — the second vehicle that fled the scene after striking a pedestrian on Medford Avenue in Patchogue on March 12, 2023.
Suffolk County detectives previously arrested Elian Jurado-Zavala, of Bay Shore, who authorities said was driving a white 2014 Honda Civic that struck Nicholas Puzio, 25, of Farmingville, at 4 a.m. as he was crossing Medford Avenue at Oak Street.
Puzio, who later died from his injuries, was struck by the second vehicle driven by Matute one minute later, police said.
Jurado-Zavala, 19, of Les Street, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with a fatality. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on July 5. His next court date is Friday.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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