Peter Morris, 80, was hit as he entered his car outside Woodward Parkway Elementary in South Farmingdale, authorities said.
SOUTH FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — An 80-year-old Vietnam War veteran was killed late Friday morning when a driver in a stolen car slammed into his vehicle outside his granddaughter’s elementary school, Nassau County police said. The crash happened about 11:41 a.m. on Woodward Parkway, steps from Woodward Parkway Elementary School, where the victim had just attended a Veterans Day event.
Police identified the victim as Peter Morris of South Farmingdale. Detectives said Morris was entering his 2012 Hyundai parked in front of the school when a stolen 2013 Nissan traveling at high speed struck his car, shoving it across the grass and into another vehicle. The driver, identified by police as Randy Colon, 24, of Hicksville, ran from the scene and was caught nearby. The fatal crash stunned neighbors and parents who had watched students greet veterans minutes earlier. Authorities said the case is being handled by the Homicide Squad and the Major Case Bureau because it involves a stolen vehicle and a death.
Witnesses described a violent impact and fast-moving smoke. “I was inside the house. I heard a big crash,” said Katrina Innamorato, who lives near the school. “I looked out the window and saw a bunch of white smoke.” Another resident, Tony Ferrara, said, “I’ve been living here for 50 years, and this is the worst accident I’ve ever seen.” An off-duty corrections officer who gave his name as Torres told local reporters he grabbed a fire extinguisher and helped pull Morris from the wreckage as flames began to rise. Police and medics arrived within minutes and closed Woodward Parkway in both directions while students remained inside the building.
Morris was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Family members said he had spent the morning inside the school, smiling for photos with his 9-year-old granddaughter and talking with children about his service. Neighbors said the Hyundai ended up on the school’s lawn after the impact. Prosecutors told the court that Colon had been speeding in a school zone and did not have a valid driver’s license. They also said he told investigators he had not taken prescribed medication that day. Investigators placed the time of the collision at 11:41 a.m. and the location in front of 95 Woodward Parkway. Detectives said the Nissan was reported stolen earlier Friday.
Colon was arraigned Saturday in First District Court in Hempstead on charges including second-degree manslaughter, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fourth-degree grand larceny, and leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death. A judge ordered him held without bail. Prosecutors said speed and the stolen car are central to the case, and more charges could follow as evidence is processed. Police have not publicly released vehicle speed estimates, and authorities have not said whether any school security cameras captured the crash. Detectives asked anyone with footage from doorbell or dashboard cameras on Woodward Parkway late Friday morning to share it with investigators.
The crash occurred two days before Veterans Day and in a neighborhood where school traffic is a daily rhythm. Woodward Parkway Elementary sits within the South Farmingdale Fire District, a residential stretch of the Town of Oyster Bay dotted with single-family homes and driveways along the school route. Parents and students were still on campus during late-morning dismissal periods for the veterans event. Residents said they have complained about drivers cutting the corner and speeding near the school, especially around lunchtime. Nassau County executive and school officials offered condolences to the family and said counselors would be available for students who saw the aftermath.
Police said detectives completed on-scene work Friday afternoon, including mapping the crash, photographing debris fields, and seizing the Nissan for forensic testing. The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause of death. Court records show Colon is due back in First District Court on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Prosecutors said they will present the case to a grand jury, a routine step in fatal crash investigations that could lead to an indictment and a possible transfer to county court. Investigators are also tracking the Nissan’s path before the crash, including where it was stolen, to corroborate Colon’s movements and timeline.
Outside the school Saturday evening, neighbors placed flowers near a scorched patch of lawn and a bent street sign. “We’re a very close community here in Farmingdale, so everybody is very upset,” said Nicolette Morelli, who lives nearby. Parents who walked by with their children stopped to read hand-written notes addressed to “Grandpa Peter.” A few veterans from the morning ceremony returned to the corner to stand quietly. “I’m never going to see this corner the same again after yesterday,” Torres said. Family members, fighting back tears, said Morris loved to tell stories and had been looking forward to a family trip planned for later this year.
As of Sunday night, Woodward Parkway had reopened and classes at Woodward Parkway Elementary were scheduled to resume Monday with additional security and counseling staff, the district said. Detectives said they will release an update after the next court appearance on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
Author note: Last updated November 9, 2025.