Road rage case goes to grand jury

The case of Evan Potts, the Oceanside motorist who was arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection with a road rage fatality in Long Beach last year, has gone to a grand jury.

While Potts's attorney, Stanley Kopilow, and the Nassau County District Attorney's Office declined to comment, a source connected to the case told the Herald that the case was before a grand jury in a Mineola court.

Potts, 23, is accused of running over and killing Ian Sharrin, 34, an engineer from Long Beach, on May 15. At the time, Detective Lt. Kevin Smith of the Nassau County Police Department said, the two were driving aggressively for more than a mile on West Park Avenue in Long Beach. According to police, Potts, who was driving a black 2008 Nissan Ultima, turned south on National Boulevard, then made a U-turn and headed back toward West Park. Then Sharrin, who was driving a 1978 Porsche, ran a red light on West Park to block Potts's car.

Witnesses said that Sharrin got out of his car and stood in front of Potts's car, yelling at him and pounding on the hood of his car. Potts tried to back up, according to witnesses, but, blocked by a vehicle behind him, instead drove forward and ran over Sharrin. Sharrin was transported to South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, where he was pronounced dead.

Potts pleaded not guilty to the charges, posted $500,000 bond in a Mineola court and was released from jail on May 27. If convicted of the manslaughter charge, he faces a maximum of 15 years in state prison.

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