BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M BTR ARCH 15-21, 2019 3
FDNY members responded to the scene of the fatal hit and run in Country Club.
Photo by Edwin Soto
Hit n’ run driver killed near
Bruckner Exp. during pursuit
BY ROBERT WIRSING
Police are requesting help in solving
a fatal hit and run that happened
early Tuesday morning in Country
Club.
According to the 45th Precinct, police
offi cers responded to a call of a motor
vehicle collision involving a pedestrian
along the Bruckner Boulevard
Service Road near Country Club Road
on Tuesday, March 12 at 5:05 a.m.
Upon arrival, police found Raymond
Baffuto, 52, unconscious and unresponsive,
lying along MacDonough
Place, a Bruckner Boulevard service
road.
EMS responded to the scene where
they pronounced the New Rochelle resident
deceased.
The NYPD Highway District’s Collision
Investigation Squad determined
Baffuto had exited his white Toyota
Corolla which was parked along the
side of the road, and was attempting to
cross the road from the east side to the
west when he was struck by a dump
truck with a blue container traveling
northbound on the service road. The
driver left the scene.
Police said Baffuto was being pursued
by an unidentifi ed individual after
fl eeing a separate hit and run in
Yonkers.
According to published reports,
Baffuto fl ed the scene after striking
a car earlier that evening on McLean
Avenue, prompting the driver of the
car he hit to chase him.
Baffuto abandoned his car after it
sustained three fl at tires, and fl ed on
foot.
Surveillance footage captured Baffuto
running from another man down
MacDonough Place in an attempt to
cross the street.
The second man stopped his pursuit
after Baffuto was struck and left
the scene on foot.
No arrests have been made and the
investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked
to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-
TIPS. All calls are kept strictly confi -
dential.
NYC Jefferson Awards winner
On Monday, March 11, Mott Haven
Academy’s Jessica Nauiokas’
received the fi rst-ever Outstanding
Public Service Benefi tting the
New York Community Award for
her commitment to education and
co-founding the country’s fi rst
public school dedicated to serving
children in the child welfare and
foster system.
During her remarks, she
noted, “It’s not fair for children
who adults have let down to be let
down by schools, and so we do our
best to multiply good by making
sure Haven Academy can be that
safe haven for students.”
Jessica was honored at the
2019 NYC Jefferson Awards, presented
by Multiplying Good alongside
fellow changemakers actor
Mariska Hargitay, entertainment
entrepreneur Scooter Braun, Edie
Lutnick of the Cantor Fitzgerald
Relief Fund and 16-year-old antibullying
activist Morgan Guess.
Multiplying Good is the nation’s
leading nonprofi t focused
on fueling personal growth and
leadership through public service.
The organization was formerly
known as the Jefferson
Awards Foundation before unveiling
its new name and identity on
February 13. The refreshed brand
is designed to better position the
nonprofi t as a service-centric organization.