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Ozone Park, N.Y., resident Anthony Mangano was arraigned on an indictment of a charge of leaving the scene of a personal injury incident resulting in a death, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr. said Thursday.
Brescia, a New Rochelle native, had lived in Yonkers before moving to Stamford just before he was killed.
According to police, shortly before 7 a.m. Dec.29, the 32-year-old Brescia was tending to a disabled vehicle in the northbound lane on I-95 near Exit 18B for White Plains/ Mamaroneck Avenue when he was struck by a motorist driving a box truck who then sped off.
After striking Brescia in Harrison, Mangano didn’t stop, Scarpino said, and instead continued driving, exiting I-95 and circling back to view the scene, at which point state police and paramedics had responded.
He proceeded to pass through the New Rochelle Toll Plaza again and passed the scene, heading north toward his destination in Connecticut.
“At no time, did he stop to report his involvement or provide information to police,” Scarpino said.
State police had to get down and dirty to track down Mangano, relying on “old-fashioned police work,” not advanced technologies, he said.
Police said that initially, there was little evidence, but a few small pieces of broken plastic found at the scene from the hit-and-run’s side view mirror gave investigators their break. State police determined the specific type of plastic from the mirror fragments and subsequently tracked down the manufacturers.
One manufacturer identified the plastic fragments to a particular mirror that is commissioned for trucks made by GMC and Isuzu, police said. Through contact with auto parts distribution centers and dealers, they obtained a list of customers who had recently had their right side view mirror replaced.
According to police, troopers interviewed customers until a suspect — Mangano — was identified. Ultimately, Mangano, who serves as a substitute driver for a Queens trucking company, was determined to be the suspect that left the scene, police said.
After his arraignment, bail was set at $10,000 cash or bond. Mangano is due back in court Aug. 1, when he will face two to seven years in state prison.
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