Emergency Responders Describe Crash on the Long Island Expressway as One of the Worst Ever Seen

The death toll now stands at six as a result of a horrific crash on the Long Island Expressway over the weekend. Speed, weather and road conditions, and road construction are all being looked at as part of the investigation to see what caused an eastbound vehicle to go over the center median, become airborne and crash into two vehicles headed in the opposite direction.

The family in the Subaru Outback, the vehicle at the center of the crash, was headed to Calverton on Sunday morning to celebrate the birthday of one of the victims, a 10-year boy. The boy’s aunt and father, who was driving the SUV, also lost their lives. Two other relatives, including a 3-year-old girl, did survive. The other two vehicles involved were a BMW with two elderly couples, and a Honda with an engaged couple who were to be married in the spring. Both a husband and wife who were passengers in the BMW did not recover from their injuries. The driver of the Honda, a 29-year-old man who had worked for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and was currently the communications director for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, was fatally injured as well. Many rescue workers and emergency responders were taken aback by how violent the crash was.

Officials are now trying to determine what caused the driver of the Subaru to lose control of the vehicle. Speed is being considered as a contributing factor as there are now reports the vehicle was traveling around 100 mph. The Suffolk County Chief of Detectives says along with a possible high rate of speed, steel plates on the road as part of a construction project may have caught the driver off-guard as he drove over them, along with temporary construction bumps on the road surface located just prior to where the accident occurred on the eastbound lanes. The driver had a valid license and a clean driving record. His family says the heavy rains in the area along with oil on the road from a previous accident at the same spot could be what caused the car to go out of control.

All of the vehicles were impounded by the police and will undergo safety checks as part of the investigation. The Long Island Expressway was closed in the area for most of the day Sunday as a result of the accident.

The crash on the LIE was not the only deadly one in Suffolk County over the weekend. On Sunday evening, a teenager fled the scene of a fatal accident in Port Jefferson Station and was later arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated as well as leaving the scene of an accident. The 19-year-old crashed into another vehicle, killing the 31-year-old driver and injuring his 30-year-old wife.

These tragic accidents are a grim reminder of the dangers we face every day while traveling in a motor vehicle. When you are involved in an accident, your first concern is yourself and your family. While concentrating on treatment and recovery is a priority, being compensated for your injuries is also important. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact the experienced and skilled attorneys at Finz & Finz, P.C., to help relieve the burden of dealing with the legal side of your accident.