A 23-year-old Coram man has admitted to drunk driving after accidently striking and killing a friend of his. Lawrence Pagano and his friend Krystal Berkowitz, 21, were inside Pagano’s 2006 Jeep Liberty in a parking lot when Berkowitz exited the vehicle, allegedly because she thought Pagano was too drunk to drive, police said. Berkowitz had walked less than a mile on the shoulder of the highway when Pagano allegedly attempted to pull over and talk to the woman but his vehicle hit her.
According to News Day, Pagano called 911 and was attempting to help Berkowitz, who suffered a severe head injury, when police arrived. Berkowitz Police told reporters that the two had been together Friday night prior to the early Saturday morning accident, but that no further details were available. Though he was arrested and charged with drunk driving following the accident, his arraignment, scheduled for Sunday, July 27, was postponed when Pagano was taken to the Stony Brook University Hospital psychiatric ward for a 72 hour evaluation. The circumstances leading to the hospitalization are unknown at this time. (http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/arraignment-delayed-for-motorist-charged-in-dwi-death-1.8901366?obref=obnetwork)
The Village Times Herald reports that Berkowitz was employed at Macy’s and Walmart along with Pagano and mutual friend Jay Fischetti. Fischetti told reporters Pagano and Berkowitz were good friends. He said that the two had dated for a few months about a year ago, but that they stayed close after ending the romantic relationship. He said that Berkowitz had lived with Pagano’s family until early this year. Fischetti said that he, Pagano, and Berkowitz worked the night shift together at Walmart. He said Berkowitz was a “down-to-earth” girl who liked movies and music and that Pagano was the “life of the party” and “defines the atmosphere of pretty much any place he goes to.” Fischetti said that Berkowitz worked with Pagano in his recording business, Never Surrender Entertainment, producing music. (http://www.northshoreoflongisland.com/Articles-News-i-2014-07-24-100064.112114-sub-Stony-Brook-woman-killed-while-avoiding-car-ride-with-allegedly-drunk-man.html)
The death of Berkowitz is currently being investigated by the Suffolk district attorney’s office, the Suffolk county crime lab, and detectives with the county Vehicular Crime Unit, police told News Day. Pagano is being held on $250,000 bail, and it is unknown if he has an attorney.
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