DA: Retired NYPD Cop Pleads Guilty in Girl's Hit-and-Run Death

A retired New York City police officer from Syosset pleaded guilty in connection with the hit-and-run death of a 13-year-old girl, authorities said Wednesday.

Michael Elardo, 48, pleaded to leaving the scene of an incident, without reporting it, the Nassau County District Attorney’s office said.

“Fatal hit-run driver Elardo pleaded guilty to Leaving Scene of Incident W/out Reporting.Prosecutors recommended max jailtime,” the Nassau DA’s office posted on its Twitter account at 10:50 a.m. Wednesday.

Elardo received a commitment of 1-1/3 to 4 years in prison and is due back in court for sentencing on Oct. 14.

Elardo spoke with the girl’s family after court, to apologize, according to Newsday. “I just wanted to say that there’s nothing I can do to reverse what happened,” he said. “It’s been very hard for me and my family, but it doesn’t compare to the suffering that I’m sure she’s going through, losing her daughter.”

District Attorney Kathleen Rice is asking the state legislature to increase penalties for these crimes.

“A driver who flees the scene of a collision should not benefit from that flight,” DA Rice said. “The penalty for leaving the scene should be increased to discourage drivers from fleeing.”

“Right now a driver may face lower charges because he has prevented a full investigation,” she added. “That should never happen. The state legislature should increase the penalties, remove this benefit and pass this common-sense measure in their next session.”

On June 15, Elardo, while driving his vehicle on Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown, left the scene of an incident that caused the death of 13-year-old Bryanna Soplin. Elardo surrendered for arrest by the Nassau County Police Department on June 16, the DA said.

Soplin reportedly had Down’s syndrome and was trying to visit her grandfather when she was hit by the car.

Elardo initially thought he had hit a construction barrel at the time, and contacted police 10 hours later after hearing media reports about the incident, according to media reports.

Elardo is represented by Michael DerGarabedian.

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DA: Retired NYPD Cop Indicted in Girl’s Hit-and-Run Death