Police: Lynbrook Man Fatally Struck by Drunk Driver

By Adina Genn

A Baldwin man has been arrested and charged with manslaughter in a hit and run that killed a taxi dispatcher from Lynbrook on Main Street in Port Washington late Friday night, police said.

Cosmin Florea, 34, was arrested early Saturday morning in Queens, after leaving the scene of the accident, which occurred shortly before midnight, according to Port Washington Police.

At the time of the incident, police say a patrol officer was near Main Street in Port Washington and heard a loud bang. Upon investigating, the officer found a victim injured on the street in front of 52 Main Street. The victim, Donald Mooney, 49, was taken to a nearby hospital, and died several hours later, officials said.

Port Washington Police had received a report that a car hit a person and left heading east. An NYPD officer in Queens later stopped a car with significant front-end damage and a broken windshield. In speaking with Florea, the driver, police suspected a connection between the damage and an earlier incident in Port Washington. The officer called Port Washington Police and was informed about the hit and run, police said.

Florea was arrested and Port Washington Police took him into custody, and toxicology testing, police said.

Donald Mooney, who worked as a dispatcher for Deluxe Transportation, passed away at 4:23 a.m., officials said.

Florea was charged with second-degree vehicular manslaughter, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an auto accident with serious physical Injury, according to police.