The gruesome discovery was made around 3:30 a.m. on busy Rockaway Boulevard in the Brookville section, by a passerby who spotted what they thought might be a body in the roadway.
The 65-year-old man was located at Brookville Boulevard and was pronounced dead at the scene.
"The whole street was blocked," witness Angel Morales said. "A lot of activity, the helicopters in the air."
Hours later, police arrested 35-year-old Kevin Dennard, of Inwood.
He is charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
"Very sad, somebody passing away," Morales said. "You don't want to see nobody hit and run, they just go away like it's nothing."
Dennard has three other prior arrests, twice for DWI in 2013 and 2006, and for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in 2007.
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