Long Island motorist fatally runs down homeless man and then flees scene in Lindenhurst

By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-10-07 17:16:58 | Updated at 2026-10-07 21:15:48 4 hours ago

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A Long Island man fatally struck a homeless man with his car and then recklessly sped away from the scene, Suffolk County police said. 

Daniel Gomez, 65, allegedly struck and killed 56-year-old Erik Ermanovics as he was trying to cross Sunrise Highway at North Indiana Avenue in Lindenhurst just before 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

But instead of calling police and attempting to help the man he accidentally struck — Gomez took off in his 2012 Honda Accord and left his victim lying on the street, police said. 

Daniel Gomez was arrested after Erik Ermanovics was struck and killed by a vehicle in a hit-and-run crash on Sunrise Highway in western Suffolk County on Tuesday. ABC 7
Ermanovics was eventually transferred to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Ermanovics was eventually transferred to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. It is unclear how much time passed between the initial crash and first responders arriving. 

After a brief investigation, detectives tracked Gomez down and arrested him at his Brentwood home later that same day. 

Detectives tracked Gomez down and arrested him at his Brentwood home later that same day.

Gomez is charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash involving a fatality, and is now facing up to seven years in prison if convicted. 

Gomez was held overnight and is set to be arraigned in Central Islip court on Wednesday.

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