Family Needs Help To Bury Mom Of 2 Killed In Hit-And-Run Crash

EAST QUOGUE, NY — Help is needed to bury an East Quogue mother killed in a hit-and-run crash Monday, according to a GoFundMe page created by her family.

An AutoZone deliveryman struck two pedestrians before fleeing the scene in North Babylon Monday afternoon, Suffolk Police said. According to police, 26-year-old Donnell Hicks was driving a 2017 Dodge Ram work van when he struck Annmarie Christina and Eric Krems in front of the AutoZone located at 1295 Deer Park Ave. at 1:04 p.m.

Hicks did not stop and continued traveling northbound on Deer Park Avenue while dragging Christina, who was caught underneath the vehicle, police said.

"Yesterday, July 29th, 2019, my parents lost a beloved daughter, my sisters and I lost a beloved sister, her friends lost a confidante, and two young and wonderful children lost their mother," Christina's sister Gina wrote on the GoFundMe page "Burial Arrangements."

The page has raised $6,795 of its $15,000 goal so far.

"My sister Annmarie was a beautiful, quick-witted and strong young lady; she could accomplish anything she set her mind to," Gina wrote. "Her sudden death follows two years of chronic illness of our mother, which has been very hard on the family, to say the least. Our mother's medical bills have taken a severe toll on our financial stability."

The GoFundMe page was created, she said, to help with funeral arrangements as well as to provide financial support for Annmarie's two young children Aidan, 11, and Alexa, 7.

"We are sincerely grateful for any financial support. We understand that some are experiencing financial difficulties themselves and so we only ask for whatever amount you can afford to give," she wrote. "We are so very grateful for all of the loving support we have received thus far. We have received such kindness from strangers, food from neighbors, and it's quite overwhelming. At such a difficult time, it is our faith in God that keeps us afloat. And at the end of the day, we all celebrate her life, her smile, her love and how blessed we were to have her in our lives."

Hicks made a right hand turn onto Shade Street in Deer Park where Christina became dislodged from the van and came to rest in the roadway, police said. Hicks continued on his route.

Christina, 38, of East Quogue, was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, where she was pronounced dead. Krems, 40, was treated and released from Good Samaritan.

An investigation revealed Hicks might be at the AutoZone located at 595 Portion Road in Lake Ronkonkoma, police said. Police responded to the location and found Hicks at 1:57 p.m.

Hicks, of Springfield Gardens in Queens, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. He was held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and was scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Tuesday.

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