A 17-year-old Levittown boy surrendered himself last week in a hit and run accident that killed a Massapequa woman and seriously injured her husband.

Sidney and Lillian Greenfader were walking across Jerusalem Avenue in Massapequa on their way to Congregation Beth El, at 8 p.m. on Oct. 5, when they were struck by Michael Wilensky, who was driving a 1988 Chrysler LeBaron, registered to his father.

At the time of the accident, Wilensky left and there were no witnesses to provide details. The Greenfaders were found shortly following the accident and according to police, who were at the time still looking for information about their accident, both patients were listed in critical condition at Nassau County Medical Center. Lillian sustained blunt force trauma and succumbed to her injuries at 2:17 a.m. Sidney was, at that time in ICU with a shattered hip.

At 8 p.m. the following evening, Wilensky, who was accompanied by his father Jeffrey, surrendered himself to the 8th Precinct and was charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, one with a fatality, one with a serious injury. He was arraigned in First District Court on Oct. 7.

According to Detective/Sergeant Daniel Severin, of the Homicide Squad, at this point the main reasons for the accident appear to be driver inattention and driver inexperience, although the investigation has indicated that Wilensky, a student at MacArthur High School in Levittown and his two friends who were in the car, were smoking marijuana earlier in the evening.

Severin explained that although Wilensky turned himself in, the police, at the time he appeared at the station, were in the process of interviewing some of his acquaintances and, the sergeant added, "He was next on our list to go visit, so I believe within a half an hour or so he probably would have been interviewed and arrested."

When asked about what possible sentence Wilensky may receive, Severin responded, "He could face up to four years in jail. Those are vehicle and traffic law felonies. The reality of it is, he's never been in trouble, he's a 17-year-old kid. He could receive four years in jail, he could receive five years probation, he could receive community service, there's a host of various sentences that he could receive from the court but that's determined by the court, not by the police department."

The other two boys in the car will not face any charges and have given the homicide squad police reports.

The Greenfaders were headed to Congregation Beth-El, where they have been members for the past 30 years, when they were sideswiped by the right, front side of Wilensky's car. Rabbi Ephraim Rubinger, who has known the long-standing members of his congregation for many years, said, "It's a very sad event for Massapequa. It's a sad event for my congregation because one of its long-standing members was killed and another long-standing member was seriously injured."

Rabbi Rubinger noted that both the Greenfaders had been very active in the congregation, with Sidney serving on the board of directors for 15 years and Lillian in the choir and active in the sisterhood of the temple. They were both active in the congregation's annual bazaar and both active in the Rabbi's adult education class. "They're wonderful people," said Rabbi Rubinger. "Lillian was a delightful person. She always had a smile on her face, she always had a good word for everybody."

When asked if the congregation would be having a memorial service for Lillian, Rabbi Rubinger responded that a funeral service has been held and shiva was held at her daughter's house but that as of yet the congregation does not have any plans for a memorial service. He added that if they have a separate service it will not be held until after Sidney recuperates.

"It's a very sad accident, a terrible accident in which a human life was taken," concluded Rabbi Rubinger.

At press time, Sidney Greenfader was listed in stable condition at the Nassau County Medical Center.