Mirror Fragments Lead Cops to Man Accused of Fatal Hit-and-Run on I-95

HARRISON, NY — A painstaking three-month investigation has resulted in an arrest in connection with a hit-and-run that killed a tow truck driver on I-95 last December. On Thursday, New York State Police charged Anthony Mangano of South Ozone Park, NY, with leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident, a class D felony.

On Dec. 29, 2016, Troopers from Troop T and Investigators from Troop K responded to I-95 in the Town of Harrison for a fatal accident in which tow truck driver Salvatore Brescia was struck and killed by a passing vehicle on the side of the road.

Brescia had been sent out by Vincent's Towing at 6 a.m. after a direct call from a patron's insurance company reporting a disabled vehicle in the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Harrison. The Yonkers resident was hit while he was loading the car onto his flatbed tow truck. Brescia, 32, was taken to Greenwich Hospital where he died of his injuries.

Initially there was little evidence to go on, police said. CrimeStoppers offered a reward and then doubled it for any information.

However, there were a few small pieces of broken plastic left at the scene from the hit-and-run vehicle’s right side-view mirror, which unfortunately did not contain a part number. Through markings on the plastic pieces, state police were able to determine the specific type of plastic used to make the mirror fragments, and subsequently track down the manufacturers that utilize this type of plastic.

Contact with those manufacturers eventually led to one of them identifying the plastic mirror fragments as a particular mirror they make for certain trucks made by GMC and Isuzu. Through contact first with auto parts distribution centers and then with dealers, state police obtained a long list of customer replacement mirror sales. Customers were interviewed by Troop K BCI until a suspect was identified.

Anthony Mangano, a substitute driver for a trucking delivery company in Queens, is alleged to have been the driver of the hit-and-run vehicle that left the scene.

Mangano, 51, was arraigned before the Honorable Judge Daniel D. Angioullo in the Town of Harrison Court and released on $2,000 bail. He is scheduled to re-appear in the Town of Harrison Court on May 16, 2017 at 9:00 am.

New York State Police were assisted by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office throughout this investigation.

“It was clear from the onset that identifying the hit & run driver was going to be difficult,” said Major Robert M. Nuzzo, Troop K Troop Commander. “In the end, it wasn’t sophisticated technology that solved this case, it was determination combined with old fashioned police work.”

Major Joseph Dodd, Troop T, Troop Commander, added, “We are hopeful that this arrest will bring some measure of solace and comfort to the Brescia family.”

Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr, stated “I applaud the dogged police work that resulted in the apprehension of the individual responsible for this tragic death. It was through the collaborative efforts of the New York State Police and our office that we were able to solve this crime. While this won’t bring back Sal Brescia, I hope this arrest assuages some of the pain felt by his loss.”

SEE:

• New Details Emerge on Fatal I-95 Hit-and-Run
  
• Reward Doubled for Info on Tow Truck Driver's Death