MTA bus driver charged with leaving scene of fatal Staten Island crash
Knowledge of Music Helpful
MTA bus driver Darrell Sweet struck Patrick Varriale, 69, while turning onto Platinum Avenue early on May 13, 2022, police said; the city recorded Varriale's death, and Sweet was later charged with leaving the scene.
Location reported in Open Data.
What We Know
MTA bus driver Darrell Sweet turned left from Forest Hill Road onto Platinum Avenue in Staten Island on May 13, 2022, and struck Patrick Varriale as he crossed the intersection, police said. Varriale, 69, died at the scene. The city crash record places the collision at 4:39 a.m. Police said Sweet drove away without reporting what happened. He was later charged with leaving the scene and released without bail after arraignment. Varriale lived nearby, had worked for years at the American Federation of Musicians and was survived by his wife, son and two grandchildren.
A left turn onto Platinum Avenue
Police said Darrell Sweet was driving a SIM10 bus east on Forest Hill Road when he turned left onto Platinum Avenue and struck Patrick Varriale as Varriale crossed the intersection. Varriale died at the scene.
The city record identifies the bus as a 2015 Prevost and lists its left front bumper as the point of impact. It places the collision at 4:39 a.m. on May 13, 2022; the Daily News cited police placing it at about 4:35 a.m.
Near the Yukon Bus Depot
The collision occurred at Forest Hill Road and Platinum Avenue in Staten Island, about a block from the MTA Yukon Bus Depot, according to the Post. Police told the Daily News that Varriale lived about a quarter-mile from the intersection.
Patrick Varriale's life and family
Varriale was 69 and had worked for years at the American Federation of Musicians' Midtown offices. He was survived by his wife, son and two grandchildren.
Investigation and charge
Police said Sweet drove away without stopping or reporting the collision and later drove past as investigators worked at the scene. Investigators initially questioned whether he realized he had struck someone, but court papers later alleged that he knew. The Daily News reported that Sweet told police, "I should have stopped."
Police arrested Sweet after a three-week investigation and charged him with leaving the scene of a fatal collision. He was released without bail after arraignment. MTA officials removed Sweet, a 15-year employee, from duty without pay pending a predisciplinary suspension, and MTA sources said footage from the bus's front-facing cameras was provided to police.