Vietnam Veteran Fatally Struck by Stolen Car After Attending Granddaughter’s Veterans Day Event

A Vietnam veteran lost his life on Friday when a stolen car hit him outside his granddaughter’s school on Long Island, shortly after he participated in a Veterans Day ceremony paying tribute to service members.

Officials reported that Peter Morris, 80, was entering his 2012 Hyundai following an event at Woodward Parkway Elementary School in Farmingdale when a stolen 2013 Nissan collided with him. Morris sustained severe injuries and was quickly transported to a local hospital, where he was declared deceased.

Randy Colon, a 24-year-old from Hicksville, was apprehended by police shortly after he fled the scene on foot. Colon is facing a range of serious charges, which include second-degree manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, grand larceny, and criminal possession of stolen property, as reported by investigators.

A memorial continues to expand at the location where Morris lost his life. In a poignant display of remembrance, flowers, flags, and candles adorned the area beneath a tree near the school, where community members gathered to mourn the passing of a cherished veteran and grandfather.

“This is an immense loss for everyone,” said a mother who came to the memorial with her two daughters, both of whom attended the school. “We were sending flowers to show our thoughts are with them.”

As dusk fell, family members and neighbors came together for a vigil, reflecting on Morris’s life and contributions through shared stories. Peter Morris Jr., the grandson, stood close to the memorial, donning his grandfather’s Vietnam veteran hat.

“He was consistently supportive,” the younger Morris stated. “He was a proud veteran of the Vietnam War.” I take great pride in wearing this hat for him.

He portrayed his grandfather as a figure who triumphed over adversity with elegance and resilience. “He was fully justified in not being the person he turned out to be,” he stated. “Each moment I shared with him was wonderful.”

Morris, a Vietnam War veteran, was well-regarded in his community for his generosity, modesty, and commitment to his family. Friends noted that he seldom passed up an opportunity to be present at his grandchildren’s school events, which made the tragedy on Friday particularly heart-wrenching for those who were close to him.

As candles flickered beneath the tree where he lost his life, residents contemplated the understated bravery of a man who endured the horrors of war, only to be claimed so near to home.