Sheriff disputes suspect's account of incident
CLAY, ONONDAGA COUNTY -- Calling hours and funeral services are now set for the victim in that fatal hit and run in Clay. Joseph Ozimek , a senior at Liverpool High School, was walking along Route 57 in Clay, to his home on Brompton Lane, from his job at McDonalds, when he was killed early Wednesday morning. Calling hours are now set for 2 - 5pm on Sunday at Maurer Funeral Home in Liverpool, with the funeral on Monday morning at 11, at Maurer Funeral Home and burial after at Liverpool Village Cemetery.
Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh is disputing the account of the suspect, saying he would have had to be driving with his head out the window, with the condition of his windshield after the crash--Walsh says it was shattereed and had blood and hair on it.
19-year-old Aaron Sakran of 4225 Inverrary Drive was charged with criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree, and driving on shoulder of the roadway. his layer says his client thought he hit something like debris on the night of the crash. Durr said Sakran did not know it was a person who was struck until his father saw the damage to the car and told Sakran he saw something on the news about the incident.
According to deputies, they received information that identified the car Sakran was driving and that car was found outside his family home. Deputies say Sakran was at the Wegman's Grocery Store on Oswego Road Wednesday morning and was driving a 2004 Chrysler Sebring as he left the parking lot shortly after 12:15am.
Investigators say Sakran was driving with a suspended license, that he had sideswiped a vehicle and taken off, last month.
Chris Bednarski, the prosecutor handing the current case, says the investigation into the crash is still ongoing, and it would be inappropriate to speculate on the possibility of any other charges.
According to Durr, Sakran is not doing well emotionally.
Durr says that Sakran is a student at Onondaga Community College. Sakran lives with his family in Clay and works at Delmonico's.
Sakran is being held on $25,000 bail. A town justice from Clay has entered a not guilty plea for Sakran.
CNY Central spoke with Onondaga County DOT commissioner Brian Donnelly about any possible changes to the stretch of road where Ozimek was killed.
Donnelly says it's too early to talk about making any changes because the official police report has not been released.
Residents in the area say they don't think sidewalks are the answer to making the area safer, but reducing the speed limit and putting up signs warning drivers of pedestrians might help.
