A 19-year-old Valley Stream driver has been charged with fatally hitting a skateboarder in Westbury earlier this year, Nassau County prosecutors said Tuesday.
Mactyme Michel, 19, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Monday in Nassau County Court in Mineola to a charge of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Gerrin Hagen, 18, of Long Beach, van say the prosecutors.
Judge Christopher Hoefenkrieg released Michel to pretrial services.
“Gerrin Hagen’s life was tragically cut short when this defendant allegedly ran a stop sign and struck the young man, who was riding a skateboard,” said Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Hagen was a talented ice hockey and lacrosse player who was loved by the entire Long Beach community. We continue to mourn with his family, friends and classmates as we process this case.”
Michel’s attorney, Anthony Grandinette, based in Mineola, issued a written statement about the charge.
“The defendant, 19-year-old Mactyme Michel, and his family are devastated by the loss of the Hagen family and my client remains burdened with a heavy heart,” he wrote.
Grandinette said the evidence points to “a tragic car accident, and not a crime.” He said his client called 911 to report the crash to police and stayed at the scene, cooperating with police. He said neither drugs nor alcohol played a role in this case.
Hagen was skateboarding on Cantiague Lanenear Sunnyside Lane in Westbury on Jan. 12 at about 2:25 p.m. when Michel, who was driving a 2012 Honda Pilot northwest, allegedly drove around a vehicle in front of him and continue driving without stopping at a stop. sign, prosecutors said.
Michael, while still on the left side of the road, then allegedly struck Hagen from behind as he rode his skateboard from a Nassau BOCES location to his car.
Hagen died the next day at Nassau University Medical Center.
A photograph of Gerrin Hagen is displayed as teammates, friends and family attend a candlelight vigil in his honor in Long Beach on January 14, 2023. Credit: Howard Simmons
Hagen, who was a senior at Long Beach High School and a student at Nassau BOCES, played lacrosse and was a star defenseman in hockey.
Michel is due back in court on August 21.
If convicted, he faces 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison.
Nicole Fuller is Newsday’s senior criminal justice reporter. He started working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.
