19-year-old Bay Shore man pleads not guilty in fatal Patchogue hit-and-run

Detectives say 25-year-old Nicholas Puzio, of Farmingville, was crossing Medford Avenue at Oak Street early Sunday morning at around 4 a.m. when he was hit by a white sedan driven by Elian Jurado-Zavala.

Antoinette Biordi and Stephen Levine

Mar 14, 2023, 9:21 AM

Updated 542 days ago

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A 19-year-old Bay Shore man pleaded not guilty Tuesday in connection to a fatal Patchogue hit-and-run.
Detectives say 25-year-old Nicholas Puzio, of Farmingville, was crossing Medford Avenue at Oak Street early Sunday morning at around 4 a.m. when he was hit by a white sedan driven by Elian Jurado-Zavala.
The district attorney's office says Jurado-Zavala never stopped.
His defense attorney spoke to News 12 after his client entered a not guilty plea.
"Our investigation so far reveals that the victim at 4 a.m. was intoxicated in the middle of the road," said Robert Macedonio. "I don't have all the facts and circumstances of the accident, but again it's a tragedy any time there's a fatal accident involved."
Puzio was then hit again by another driver in a gray Nissan Armada, who has still not yet been found.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police.
Punzio's friends say they are distraught and feel like they lost a brother.
"He was the most kindhearted person you'd ever meet," said Vincent Wright.
Wright says he and his friends will continue to follow the case and hope that justice is served.