Centereach Woman Charged in Crash that Killed Bicyclist

Suffolk police on Friday arrested a 54-year-old Centereach woman whom they say fatally struck a bicyclist with her car on Thursday night in Terryville.

Police charged Janice Montalvo with leaving the scene of an accident involving a fatality, a felony, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. She will be arraigned Saturday.

Police identified the bicyclist as Bradford Packer, 51, of Port Jefferson Station. Packer was riding his bicycle north on Route 112 when a driver, allegedly Montalvo, hit him and fled the scene traveling west on Route 347. Police said they were searching for a light-colored Hyundai sedan, and arrested Montalvo – who owns a gold Sonata – on Friday morning at around 10 a.m.

Online court records show Montalvo has two previous convictions for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, for which she paid fines of $250.

According to Newsday, police said Packer was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, and said a tip led to Montalvo's arrest.

A relative of Packer told Newsday that the family did not wish to comment.