Suffolk Reporter

Maria Guallpa-Bonilla, a 36-year-old resident of Bellport, has pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in the death of Christopher Hlavaty, a 22-year-old volunteer firefighter from East Patchogue. The incident occurred on June 10, 2024.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney commented on the case: “This defendant’s actions in leaving a young man to die on the road, after striking and running over his body, were callous and unconscionable.” He added that Guallpa-Bonilla prioritized her own concerns over providing aid to Hlavaty. “Motorcyclists have the right to drive on the streets in Suffolk County without having to worry that they are going to get struck by a vehicle and left to die. We hope this plea will give Mr. Hlavaty’s family and loved ones some small measure of justice.”

According to court documents and statements made during her guilty plea allocution, Guallpa-Bonilla was driving a blue 2001 Mercury Cougar westbound on East Main Street in Patchogue at approximately 10:47 p.m. She was not accompanied by another licensed driver as required by her permit restrictions. As she turned left onto Rider Avenue, she collided with Hlavaty's eastbound motorcycle, which had the right of way.

After hitting Hlavaty and driving over him with both front and rear tires, Guallpa-Bonilla left the scene without stopping or offering assistance. She also failed to report the collision to law enforcement authorities. Hlavaty succumbed to his injuries from the crash.

Car parts recovered at the scene were traced back to a 2001 Mercury Cougar. Two days following the incident, police found Guallpa-Bonilla's vehicle covered with a tarp at her residence.

On October 16, 2024, before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei, Guallpa-Bonilla admitted guilt for Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting—a Class D felony under New York State law. The maximum sentence for this offense is between 2⅓ and 7 years in prison. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office has recommended a sentence ranging from 2 to 6 years.