Daniel Gomez, of Brentwood, pleads not guilty in fatal hit-and-run on Sunrise Highway

A Brentwood man pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death after police said he struck and killed a homeless man early Tuesday morning on Sunrise Highway.

Daniel Gomez, 65, is charged with striking Erik Ermanovics, 56, about 4:30 a.m. as he was standing on Sunrise Highway in Lindenhurst near North Indiana Avenue.

Gomez appeared Wednesday morning in First District Court in Central Islip, following his arrest Tuesday.

Prosecutors said Gomez was driving a 2012 Honda Accord heading west on Sunrise Highway when he struck Ermanovics, then drove away after stopping to check his car for damage.

Ermanovics was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, where he was declared dead at about 5 a.m.

Prosecutors said Gomez later returned to the crash scene with a friend but left after seeing a large police presence. Police recovered the vehicle's license plate and a Honda emblem from the scene.

Gomez went to work at a hospital and nursing home, where he told his boss about the crash, who urged him to call police, prosecutors said.

Gomez also called a glass company seeking to repair his windshield, prosecutors said.

Suffolk homicide detectives went to Gomez’s home Tuesday afternoon, where they found the Honda with damage to its front end and windshield, prosecutors said in court.

Authorities said Gomez gave a written statement to police that he "heard and felt a loud crashing sound" when he hit something.

He told police he was scared that he may have hit a person and checked his car for blood. He stopped on the highway and saw something in the road, but couldn't tell in the dark if it was a person, prosecutors said.

Gomez's defense attorney, Sara Pervez, said he had no previous criminal history and had lived on Long Island for about 30 years.

Gomez's attorneys said they were preparing his defense.

"Our client is a father and incredibly remorseful for any part he may have played in the death of another person," his attorney Gerard McCloskey said.

Suffolk County District Judge Bernard Cheng revoked Gomez's driver's license and passport and set bail at $15,000 cash or $45,000 bond. He said the defendant "showed gross negligence operating a motor vehicle and disregard for the life of another person."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.