Longtime barber, 90, fatally struck and killed in Riverhead; DWI suspected
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (WABC) -- A man was fatally struck by a suspected drunk driver on Long Island Tuesday evening, devastating the community by taking away one of the town's most beloved business owners.
The 90-year-old man was hit around 7:30 p.m. on the shoulder of Herricks Lane at Main Road in Riverhead.
The victim, George Kurovics, was well known in Rocky Point, where his barbershop was the area's longest-running business.
The woman accused of killing, Diane O'Neill, now faces DWI charges.
Kurovic's son, also named George, spoke to Eyewitness News, saying his father was a World War II veteran who joined the Navy at age 16.
"He was such a strong guy," the younger George Kurovics said. "He survived so much."
He survived two open heart surgeries and, recently, pancreatic cancer.
"Just two weeks ago, he got a CAT scan showing the results were good," he said. "He beat the cancer."
He had owned and operated the barbershop since 1948, and outside, people were dropping off flowers and cards. His barbershop was also a place where fellow veterans would come not only for a haircut, but to retell their war stories.
Prosecutors said O'Neill, a teacher at Southold High School for 35 years, had glassy eyes and smelled of alcohol.
His wife, Joyce, was at a loss for words.
"If she wasn't under the influence, perhaps it may not have happened at all," she said.
The family believes that Kurovics pulled over on the side of the road on his way home from work because he saw the family's cat had been hit by a car. They believe he was walking down the road to get to the cat when O'Neill struck him just feet from his home.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
He had four children and a number of grandchildren, and his son described him as one of a kind.
"He was always up and always moving," he said. "He was 90 years old, the type of guy that if you looked at him, you would not think was 90. Always active, always doing things, always inspiring me to work harder and get the most out of each day."
The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office will review the incident to determine if more charges will be filed.
