HALFMOON, N.Y. – A woman indicted for killing a man in a hit-and-run crash, fled the scene, and drove around for more than an hour with the body impaled in her windshield, according to court documents.
Maria Lentini, 30, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., is accused of hitting Patrick Duff with her BMW while he was walking on Route 9 near Kinns Road on December 6, 2015.
The documents say Lentini texted her friends and family, but never called 911. She is accused of leaving the body on the car for approximately an hour and 15 minutes.
Lentini’s sister was the first person to call 911 about the incident, not Lentini, according to the indictment. Police arrived after the call.
On Tuesday, she was charged with leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, 1st degree endangerment, and refusal to submit a breath test.
Friends of Duff want to know why Lentini isn’t facing tougher charges. They are now starting a grassroots effort to demand justice by starting a Facebook Page. In less than 24 hours, it had more than 600 followers.
Duff’s friends say they don’t feel the charges match the crime.
Saratoga District Attorney Karen Heggen says she didn’t want to jeopardize the case by commenting on specifics. When asked why Lentini wasn’t charged with vehicular manslaughter, legal experts say that charge carries the same penalty as the one she is already facing.
Duff’s family attorney says his parents agree.
The Sheriff’s Department says alcohol and drugs were ruled out as factors in the hit-and-run.
NEWS10 ABC’s Anya Tucker reached out to Lentini’s attorney and hasn’t heard back.
