A Brooklyn man with a history of impaired driving has been brought to court in a hit-and-run case, killing a 79-year-old woman last year while the victim was on her way to buy groceries.
Neal Small, 35, was arrested when he appeared in court Tuesday in an unrelated case charging him with driving on a suspended license in East New York, police said.
Small was later charged with leaving the scene of the crash that claimed the life of Verna McKnight on Nov. 5 on Church Ave. near E. 52nd St. in East Flatbush.
McKnight, the owner of a nearby beauty salon, got out of her Toyota Camry to shop at the grocery store when she was struck by a white Ford pickup while crossing the street, authorities said.
Cameras caught the crash
The driver stopped briefly at E. 52nd St., got out of the truck and looked around, his face caught on video, before driving away, according to sources close to the case.
McKnight was born in Jamaica and moved to the United States in 1980. She had five children, seven grandchildren, one of whom lived with her in Canarsie, and a great-grandchild.
Her family claimed that she worked as a housekeeper at the Plaza Hotel until she was able to save enough to open her own salon, Unisex Contemporary Beauty, around 1985.
McKnight’s husband and father of her children passed away just a year after she brought her family to New York.
Investigators traced the truck Neal was driving to its owner, a man who identified Neal as his friend, according to sources close to the case.
McKnight was struck while crossing the street, but because Neal was not speeding, he was not charged with vehicular manslaughter, according to sources.
Neal, who lives in Canarsie and delivers ice to bars and lounges, was also charged with driving without a valid license.
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2023-08-09 23:58:44
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