Authorities said Tuesday that a Long Island police officer who killed an elderly pedestrian in an off-duty vehicle collision will not be charged.
On November 28, 2022, Timothy Vitiello, a Nassau County police officer, struck Teresa Gucciardo, 85, with his pickup truck in a Commack parking lot. Gucciardo passed away from her wounds about a month later.
After looking into the incident and the preliminary findings of local authorities, the New York Attorney General’s office determined that Vitiello should not face any charges.
The attorney general’s office concluded in its report that a prosecutor would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Vitiello committed a crime because investigators did not find any reason to believe that Officer Vitiello was speeding, driving recklessly in any other way, or was intoxicated.
According to authorities, Vitiello hit Gucciardo while he was turning left in a shopping center parking lot. Before making the turn, Vitiello told investigators he didn’t see Gucciardo. According to the police, he stopped right away, called 911, and remained at the location.
Before passing away on December 22, 2022, Gucciardo battled multiple difficulties during a four-week hospital stay, according to investigators.
According to online court records, Gucciardo’s family filed a civil case against Vitiello in July 2023, despite the fact that he will not be charged with any crimes. The civil case has not yet been resolved.
