Oyster Bay Bar Owner Pleads Not Guilty To Multiple Charges, DWI, Vehicular Assault: NCDA

OYSTER BAY, NY — An Oyster Bay bar owner was indicted for a hit-and-run DWI crash in May 2025 and pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly announced on Thursday.

Leonard Gross was accused of striking and injuring a pedestrian before fleeing to his Syosset home, the DA's office reported. The pedestrian was intubated for nearly a week with severe injuries, DA Donnelly said.

DA Donnelly announced that Gross, 67, was charged with vehicular assault, leaving the scene of an incident, driving while intoxicated, amongst several other charges.

Gross was arraigned on Thursday before Judge Joseph Girardi on grand jury indictment charges of two counts of first-degree vehicular assault (a D felony), second-degree vehicular assault (an E felony), leaving the scene of an incident without reporting resulting in serious physical injury (an E felony), driving while intoxicated (an E felony), first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of motor vehicle (an E felony), secnod-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle (an unclassified misdemeanor), reckless driving (an unclassified misdemeanor), and operating a motor vehicle while ability impaired (a traffic infraction), DA Donnelly said.

He pleaded not guilty, with a bail set at $150,000 cash, $300,000 bond, and $1.5 million partially secured bond, DA Donnelly said. The DA's office reported that his license was suspended.

Gross is due back in court on February 23, and if he is convicted, he can face up to 11 years in prison, DA Donnelly said.

"This defendant is a recidivist drunk driver, and on the evening of the crash, was on our roads with a license that had been revoked nearly a decade before," DA Donnelly said. "My prosecutors reconstructed that night using videos and statements, tracking Leonard Gross back to the bar he owned and discovering the multiple drinks he consumed before getting behind the wheel, and allegedly striking, running over, and seriously injuring a pedestrian. This man should have never been on the road. Now, we will hold him accountable for his criminal actions and the harm he caused."

According to DA Donnelly on the indictment, Gross was accused of driving his 2025 Dodge Ram pick-up truck on May 17, 2025, at approximately 9:09 p.m., after being accused of drinking at his bar, Teddy's Bully Bar in Oyster Bay. Video surveillance from the bar showed Gross consuming multiple alcoholic drinks before driving, DA Donnelly said.

He drove the truck southbound on South Street in Oyster Bay with a revoked driver’s license, DA Donnelly said. He turned left onto East Main Street and was accused of striking a male pedestrian who was walking in the crosswalk, DA Donnelly said.

According to DA Donnelly, the pedestrian fell on the roadway and underneath Gross' truck, in which he was accused of running over the pedestrian's body before fleeing the scene eastbound on East Main Street at a high speed.

The pedestrian was transported to Nassau University Medical Center and suffered severe injuries, including multiple broken ribs, injuries to his chest and lungs, and multiple facial lacerations, the DA's office reported. The pedestrian was intubated for about five days after the crash, DA Donnelly said.

The defendant allegedly fled to his home in Syosset after the crash and parked his pick-up truck in his driveway.

After leaving the scene, Gross fled to his Syosset home, where surveillance cameras and license plate readers captured his truck, showing he was parked in his driveway, DA Donnelly said. Officers responded to the Syosset house at approximately 11:30 p.m. and observed the pedestrian's blood underneath the truck, DA Donnelly said.

DA Donnelly said Gross surrendered to the Nassau County Police Department Second Squad on Thursday.