Town of Hempstead Public Safety Officer Robert Core, 42, of Hempstead was arrested for Vehicular Manslaughter on Thursday, July 14 in East Meadow after striking and killing a pedestrian on Hempstead Turnpike, Nassau County Police announced.
At an official press conference given by Detective Lt. Kevin Smith of the Nassau County Police Department, Smith said Core was on duty for the Town of Hempstead, responding to a community complaint of kids trespassing at the Wolcott Road swimming pool in Levittown. Core was driving a 2004 Jeep Cherokee, an official, marked vehicle of the Town of Hempstead eastbound on Hempstead Turnpike, about 40 feet west of Franklin Avenue when he struck an unnamed 50-year-old male pedestrian.
According to detectives, the pedestrian had recently left from the Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) and began jaywalking south across Hempstead Turnpike. Smith said that it did not appear that the victim was at an intersection when he attempted to cross Hempstead Turnpike, based on the location of the victim’s sandals left at the point of impact.
The victim was struck and held onto the hood and windshield of the vehicle Core was operating for about 150 feet east, past Franklin Avenue before Core brought the vehicle to a stop. When the vehicle stopped, the victim fell off the hood of the car and landed on the pavement.
NCPD officers arriving at the scene suspected that Core, the operator of the vehicle, was intoxicated. Police said Core had slurred speech and his eyes were glassy. Officers then performed a field sobriety test immediately, which led to the arrest of Core.
“Certainly with the use of alcohol your actions decrease considerably, so it’s hard to say why he took so long to stop,” said Smith.
A volunteer Levittown ambulance crew was leaving NUMC when they heard the crash and immediately responded to the scene. They transported the victim to NUMC where the victim was pronounced dead at 11:43 p.m.
The identity of the victim is being withheld pending family notification.
Core was transported and treated at NUMC for some superficial wounds as a result of the collision.
Smith said Core is a uniformed public safety officer for the Town of Hempstead (TOH). A TOH safety officer is security guard, not a police or peace officer that is assigned to parks, pools and public buildings. Smith said TOH officers are not generally assigned to patrolling residential areas and Core was not operating the TOH vehicle in an emergency manner, with red lights and siren, at the time of the accident.
Det. Smith said he believed Core has been employed by TOH for a number of years, as many as 10. He has no known disciplinary record with TOH.
Smith said Core began his shift at approximately 11 p.m., at TOH in Hempstead, where he parked his private vehicle, collected his nightly assignments and proceeded on his duties.
It was unknown when and where Core had been drinking, Smith said. His intoxication level was not released by NCPD. Smith said there was no evidence of alcohol in the TOH vehicle.
A statement released on Friday, July 15 by the Town of Hempstead said, “Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray and members of the Town Board were deeply saddened to learn of the death of a man who was struck by a town vehicle along Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow on the evening of July 14th.
“The Supervisor and the Council Members extend their profound condolences to the friends and family of the victim, keeping those affected by the tragic event in their thoughts and prayers.
“The employee involved in the incident is being suspended without pay pending the outcome of criminal proceedings in the matter.”
Core was arraigned on Friday, July 15 on charges of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree and Driving While Intoxicated. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted. Bail was set in the amount of $100,000 bond or cash. He is represented by Lloyd Nadel, Esq.
