By TOM KANE

LAKE HUNTINGTON - David "Bubba" Hallen, the victim of a hit-and-run accident, was released from the hospital last Friday.

He sustained several severe injuries among which were a concussion and brain damage. After the July 18 accident Hallen, 51, lost his memory.

"He's regaining it gradually," said fiance Annie Copp.

At the time of the injury, Hallen was on a cell phone complaining to the Sheriff's office about reckless youths who were speeding along Route 52 in Lake Huntington. It is alleged that James Rodriguez, 19, of Lake Huntington, deliberately ran into him.

Rodriguez has been charged with assault in the first and second degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, leaving the scene of a serious physical injury incident and several traffic violations in connection with the incident.

He was released on $30,000 bail.

"The case is in the discovery phase," said assistant district attorney James Farrell.

Steven Kaiser, Rodriguez's co-defendant and owner of the car, will be arraigned on August 25 in the Cochecton Court. He is charged with acting in concert and with hindering the prosecution when he hid the car in his garage, Farrell said.

Hallen spent three weeks at St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie and was transferred to John Heinzes Rehab Center, from which he was released on Friday.

"He's doing well," Copp said.

"The speed limit along the road is 30 m.p.h. but hardly anyone abides by it," Copp said. "It really bothered Bubba because we have four kids ourselves and there are many others in the town."

Copp said Hallen had lost his sense of taste and smell, and had trouble expressing thoughts quickly. "The doctors said that will gradually improve," she said.