Police: Driver backed over pedestrian, kept driving

A Riverhead man was charged with leaving the scene of an accident after he backed over a pedestrian in Riverside and kept going, police said.

The victim, a 51-year-old Riverside man, was walking on the northbound shoulder of Old Quogue Road about 11:40 p.m. on Jan. 31 when he was hit by a car backing out of a driveway, according to police.

The driver left the scene without stopping to check on the victim, police said.

Two police officers saw the suspect flee and called in a description to the Community Response Unit.

The suspect’s car was stopped a short distance from the incident and the driver confirmed that he was involved in the accident and didn’t stop “because the pedestrian was drunk,” according to a police report.

The driver, Nilario Ballinas, 51, of Riverhead, was ticketed for leaving the scene of a accident.

The victim was taken by ambulance to Peconic Bay Medical Center.