Stay-at-Home-Dad Arraigned in Fatal Crash Case

Appearing at Riverhead Justice Court on Friday morning, Middle Island resident William Slatton will remain held on bail at Suffolk County Jail in Riverside after police say he struck and killed a bicyclist Thursday afternoon while high on methadone, with four children in the car.

Judge Allen Smith set bail for Slatton at $50,000 cash and $100,000 bond, and said Suffolk County's Major Crimes Bureau is reviewing the case and considering levying more charges against the 30-year-old.

Slatton remains charged with all misdemeanor crimes currently – DWAI drugs, four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree. The charges could result up to a year in jail.

Slatton, who is reportedly on probation until Nov. 18, pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In court on Friday, Judge Smith appointed Legal Aid lawyer Daniel Ginty to Slatton's defense after he told the court he has about $1,900 in savings and is a stay-at-home father.

Slatton said he lives at home with his girlfriend, who Ginty said after the arraignment was present along with someone else, as well as his four children. He told the court he has lived at his current address for about three years.

Ginty requested Slatton's entire $1,900 savings as bail, though Smith denied the request and accepted an assistant district attorney's call for $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond.

According to the ADA, Slatton has been convicted on felony and misdemeanor charges in the past, though did not specify. He also added that Slatton has three notices of failure to appear before courts.

Riverhead Police released a statement Thursday evening alleging that Slatton was driving westbound on Route 25 on Thursday afternoon in the vicinity of Calverton National Cemetery when he veered off the road, into oncoming traffic heading eastbound, and into bicyclist Steven F. Kane, who authorities said was pronounced dead on the scene.

The incident occurred just after 1:30 p.m. police said, and despite efforts to revive Kane on the scene by passing motorists and a Ridge fire chief, the man was pronounced dead at the scene by Wading River Fire Department paramedics. He was transported to the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office in Hauppauge.