Man Indicted In Suffolk Crash That Killed Woman, 24: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A man was indicted in connection with leaving the scene of a crash that killed a 24-year-old woman in Lake Grove in February, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said Friday.

Sarkis Dadourian, 68, of Huntington Station, was charged with leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death after he was accused of fatally striking Sampada Aduulla, of Stony Brook, the DA said. Dadourian struck Aduulla with his car when she was crossing the intersection of Nesconset Highway and Hallock Road in Lake Grove in February, prosecutors said.

"The decision to leave the scene of a crash that resulted in the death of a young woman made a tragic situation worse," Tierney said in a news release. "My office will seek to hold the defendant accountable for his actions that day."

Around 6:20 a.m. Feb. 2, Dadourian was operating a 2007 Honda Accord eastbound on Nesconset Highway at the intersection of Hallock Road in Lake Grove when he struck Aduulla, who was crossing the highway, authorities said.

According to an eyewitness, after Dadourian struck Aduulla, he stopped momentarily, got out of his car to check the damage, and then got back into his car and drove away east, investigators said. A description of the vehicle involved was released to the media based on eyewitness information, officials said.

Two days later, members of the Suffolk County Police Department received a tip from a Nassau County auto body shop that a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle involved in the crash had been brought in by a man claiming he had struck a deer, prosecutors said.

The vehicle was taken as evidence and, Dadourian ultimately surrendered himself to detectives in the Major Case Unit of the Suffolk County Police Department on Feb. 10, authorities said.

Dadourian was arraigned Friday on the indictment. He was ordered to surrender his passport and was placed on supervised release.

Dadourian is due back in court on July 22 and faces two and one-third to seven years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by Richard Pelligrino.