Teacher charged in fatal crash retires from Southold H.S.
The Southold High School math teacher arrested on a drunken driving charge after she fatally struck a pedestrian in Jamesport last week has retired.
The Southold Board of Education unanimously approved Diane O’Neill’s retirement without discussion in a resolution listing several other personnel items at its meeting Wednesday night.
Police said Ms. O’Neill, 65, of Farmingville was driving her 2007 Mercedes-Benz westbound on Main Road near Herricks Lane shortly after 7:15 p.m. on Jan. 13 when she struck George Kurovics, a 90-year-old beloved barber and war veteran from Jamesport.
His family believes Mr. Kurovics had stopped after he spotted one of the family’s cats dead on the roadside.
Superintendent David Gamberg said after the meeting that Ms. O’Neill, who’s worked in the district for 21 years, is eligible for her benefits and will be granted them.
“It’s a very unfortunate situation,” he said, when asked for comment. “My heart goes out to everyone involved.”
Ms. O’Neill was arraigned last Wednesday and released on $10,000 bail. She’s due back in court next month.
