A Lindy's Taxi waits in the Port Jefferson Long Island Rail Road parking lot. File photo
A Lindy’s Taxi waits in the Port Jefferson Long Island Rail Road parking lot. File photo
Story last updated at 3 p.m. on June 6
By Elana Glowatz
Police said Lindy’s Taxi vehicles were involved in two crashes on Route 112 in the last few days, one of them fatal and one against a red light.
In the first incident, a walking woman was killed early on Sunday morning when a taxi hit her, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.
Police said the victim, Gail Oses, was walking on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station shortly after 3 a.m. — just south of Chereb Lane — when the southbound 2010 Ford Crown Victoria, a Lindy’s Taxi vehicle, struck her. She was pronounced dead at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, up the road in Port Jefferson.
The taxi driver, 64-year-old Centereach man Brendan Hurst, was not hurt, police said, and neither were his two male passengers.
On Monday morning, another cab was involved in a crash down the road in Coram that hurt a motorcyclist. Police said the 2009 Crown Victoria, which was heading east on Route 25, went through a red light and hit a motorcycle that was going north on Route 112 shortly after 7 a.m.
The motorcyclist, 49-year-old Mastic man Jack Monti, was being treated for seriously leg injuries at Stony Brook University Hospital.
According to police, 43-year-old Centereach resident Mindy Shaw was driving the taxi and was issued a summons for failing to stop at the traffic light.
There were no passengers in the cab at the time of the crash.
When reached by phone at the company’s corporate office in Islandia on Monday, a Lindy’s Taxi spokesperson said, “These two accidents are both tragic and we are cooperating with the police and doing an internal investigation on each of them to see exactly what occurred.”
Police impounded the Crown Victorias and the Honda motorcycle for a safety check.
Detectives from the SCPD’s 6th Squad are investigating the crashes. Anyone with information can call them at 631-854-8652.
A teen was killed when his car overturned in the woods on William Floyd Parkway early on Saturday.
The Suffolk County Police Department said the Shoreham 19-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene after a police officer observed his 2005 Suzuki overturned in the northbound media near Whiskey Road at 5:45 a.m.
There were no other cars involved in the crash that killed the teen, identified as Kevin Callejas, according to police.
Detectives from the 7th Squad are investigating and impounded the Suzuki for a safety check.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call the squad at 631-852-8752.
A pedestrian was seriously hurt in a hit-and-run early Tuesday morning as he tried to cross New York Avenue.
The Suffolk County Police Department said a dark-colored SUV hit 41-year-old William Alvarez-Jovel as he was trying to cross the street, at the intersection with West Hills Road in Huntington Station, shortly before 2 a.m. He suffered serious head and internal injuries in the crash and was admitted to Huntington Hospital.
According to police, the vehicle fled the scene but could have been a 2003 to 2005 black Honda Pilot, and would have sustained front-end damage in the collision. It had fled north on New York Avenue.
Detectives from the SCPD’s 2nd Squad are investigating the crash and ask anyone with information to call them at 631-854-8252, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.
This story was updated on May 27 to include new police information on the make and model of the car suspected to have been involved in the hit-and-run crash.
Firefighters surround the two cars involved in the crash Friday morning .Photo from John Mancino
Firefighters examine one of the two cars involved in the crash Friday morning. Photo from John Mancino
On Friday, May 20, the Northport Fire Department responded to an early morning car crash at the intersection of Route 25A and Cherry Street in Northport.
An ambulance, a heavy rescue truck and one fire engine were at the scene. The police said three people were inside the two vehicles that had crashed, but no one was injured.
Emergency medical technicians examined the three people and all refused medical assistance.
Firefighters helped remove the damaged vehicles from blocking traffic on Route 25A.
An elderly man had one fracture and a broken bone after being hit by a car in an alleged drunk driving incident Monday afternoon.
According to police, the injured pedestrian, 89-year-old Dix Hills resident Louis Anania, was leaving a McDonald’s restaurant on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington shortly after 4 p.m. when a westbound Toyota turned left toward the parking lot in front of an eastbound Chevrolet, causing a collision that sent the Chevy off the roadway and into Anania. The man was temporarily pinned between the car and the front of the building.
The Suffolk County Police Department said Anania was treated at Huntington Hospital for a broken collarbone and an open leg fracture.
An open fracture occurs when bone protrudes through a victim’s skin, or when a wound goes deep enough to expose bone.
Police arrested 56-year-old Daryl Richardson, a female Huntington Station resident and the Toyota’s driver, for allegedly driving while intoxicated after being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Huntington Hospital.
Attorney information for Richardson was not immediately available on the New York State court system’s online database.
The Chevrolet driver, Huntington Station man Brian Davila, was also treated for minor injuries at that hospital and was released, police said.
Police impounded both the Toyota and the Chevrolet for safety checks.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call detectives at 631-854-8252.
A 19-year-old was seriously injured in a crash on Wednesday night while he was trying to cross the street on a bicycle.
The Suffolk County Police Department said the crash happened shortly before 10:30 p.m. at Laurel Road and Bellerose Avenue in East Northport. As the male teenager was crossing the road, he crashed into a 2004 Ford Expedition that had been heading north on Laurel, police said.
The bicyclist, Asharoken resident Ryan Brown, was in serious condition at Stony Brook University Hospital following the incident.
The Ford’s driver, a 53-year-old East Northport man, stayed at the scene of the crash, police said. No charges were filed against him.
Police impounded the Ford for a safety check.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call detectives at 631-854-8252.
Tuesday, May 3: This version adds the identity of the teen bicyclist who was injured in the crash, as per new police information.
Huntington Manor Fire Department worked to free the driver from the Dodge Neon pictured above. Photo by Steve Silverman
The driver of a Dodge Neon was trapped between two cars on Sunday night. Photo by Steve Silverman
Firefighters worked to free a driver trapped in the wreckage of a Dodge Neon at Advanced Auto Care, on East Jericho Turnpike and Alpine Way in Huntington Station.
Huntington Manor Fire Department responded to the scene on Sunday night, at about 11:15 p.m., and used heavy rescue extrication tools to remove the doors and free the driver from in between two parked vehicles that the driver had crashed into.
About 30 Huntington Manor firefighters were on the scene with three heavy rescue trucks and a fire engine, under the command of Chief Frank McQuade and Assistant Chiefs Mike DePasquale and Jon Hoffmann. The Huntington Community First Aid Squad transported the driver to Huntington Hospital.
A pedestrian was killed on Nesconset Highway on Wednesday night while trying to cross the busy roadway.
The Suffolk County Police Department said the man was crossing from the median to the north side of Route 347 at the intersection with Browns Road in Nesconset at the time of the crash. A 2000 Jeep Cherokee, which had been going west on the road, crashed into the pedestrian shortly after 9 p.m.
Police did not identify the man, who was pronounced dead at Stony Brook University Hospital, pending notification of his family.
The Jeep’s driver, a 23-year-old Bay Shore man, was not hurt, police said. That vehicle was impounded for a safety check.
Detectives are on the hunt for a pickup truck driver who left the scene of a crash in which a Northport woman was seriously injured on Wednesday afternoon.
The woman, 69-year-old Diana Carvelli, was driving a 2012 Jeep west on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station at about 4:30 p.m. when the pickup truck, which had been going east, collided with her near Depot Road, the Suffolk County Police Department said.
That pickup truck’s driver did not stop, instead fleeing the scene, going east on Jericho, police said.
After first being brought to Huntington Hospital, police said, Carvelli was transferred to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset for treatment of a serious injury.
Police did not say what caused the crash, but said that 2nd Squad detectives believe the truck could have damage on its driver’s side, and the side mirror could be missing.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information about the incident is asked to call the squad at631-854-8252, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.
Suffolk County District Attorney Tom Spota outlines the investigation on Wednesday. Photo by Alex Petroski
A makeshift memorial is erected at the scene of the fatal Cutchogue crash. Photo by Phil Corso
By Phil Corso & Alex Petroski
Story last updated 3.17.16, 8:15 a.m.
A fatal crash was the result of a limousine’s dangerous U-turn at a busy intersection in Cutchogue, and on Wednesday, a special grand jury placed the blame on the driver.
Carlos F. Pino, 58, of Old Bethpage, surrendered to police Wednesday and was arraigned on four charges of criminally negligent homicide, four counts of assault, failure to yield the right of way, reckless driving and other traffic violations, Suffolk County District Attorney Tom Spota said. Pino was attempting a U-turn near the intersection of Depot Lane and County Route 48 on July 18 when Steven Romeo, 55, of Peconic, T-boned the limo, killing four and injuring six.
The crash killed Smithtown’s Brittney Schulman, 23, and Lauren Baruch, 24, as well as Stephanie Belli, 23, of Kings Park, and Amy Grabina, 23, of Commack, who were all riding in a limousine in the middle of a weekend wine tour on the eastern part of the Island. The collision also injured passengers Joelle Dimonte, 25, of Elwood, Melissa Angela Crai, 23, of Scarsdale, Alicia Arundel, 24, of Setauket, and Olga Lipets, 24, of Brooklyn. Romeo, the DA said, was operating the truck under the influence of alcohol and was charged with driving while intoxicated the day of the crash.
Pino pleaded not guilty to the charges on Wednesday and was given a cash bail $50,000 and bond of $100,000. His next court date was scheduled for April 19. Romeo also pleaded not guilty to two counts of driving while intoxicated and one charge of driving while ability impaired by alcohol on Wednesday and was released with his next court date set for April 26.
“I think they may have been somewhat surprised,” Spota said when family members of the victims were notified that Pino, and not Romeo, would be indicted as a result of the crash. “They either expected that it would be the other way around, that Romeo would be the party who would be completely at fault, or perhaps it was just a totally unavoidable accident. Indeed, what the grand jury has found out is that it was totally unavoidable, only as to Romeo, but not as to Pino.”
At the scene, Pino had told police he did not see any oncoming traffic, Spota said. But the subsequent investigation revealed why.
The county had been investigating the crash over recent months, and on Wednesday, the DA announced that while Romeo may have been driving while impaired, the risky U-turn still made it nearly impossible for the collision to be avoided. The grand jury conducted a five-hour investigation of the crash and found that Pino had “limited sight lines looking into westbound traffic” because a Jeep Liberty was positioned in the intersection waiting to turn left onto Depot Lane, Spota said in a statement.
Spota said the Jeep Liberty “completely blocked the limo driver’s view of the oncoming traffic in the main travel lanes.” And despite the fact that the main westbound travel lanes were not visible, the DA said Pino failed to take any precaution to make sure he could safely enter the westbound travel lanes and he continued to make the U-turn.
“A perfectly sober Steven Romeo could not avoid this crash. An intoxicated Steven Romeo could not avoid this crash. It was simply unavoidable from Romeo’s perspective,” Spota said. “Romeo can be held criminally responsible for driving while intoxicated but he cannot be held criminally responsible for the crash.”
Southold Police Chief Martin Flatley said during the press conference that unfortunately many limo drivers exiting Vineyard 48 in Cutchogue try to make the dangerous left U-turn that ended up being fatal, because it is the fastest route to head back west.
“There are other ways to head back west, but that’s the easiest way for them to do it,” Flatley said.
There is now a traffic light at that intersection, Flatley said.
Spota said Romeo was heading west at about 55 miles per hour when the crash occurred. He did not see the limo enter the intersection until he was about 200 feet away, the district attorney said.
“Mr. Romeo had only 200 feet to react to the hazard he saw, and stop his vehicle,” Spota said. “Traveling at 55 mph, it would have taken 1.6 seconds to perceive the limo in his path, to realize he must apply his brakes, and then to begin braking. This would leave Romeo with even less distance, 129 feet, to avoid a crash — impossible for him to do. In fact our experts tell us that at 55 mph it would have taken anyone 263 feet to stop and avoid the crash.”
After investigating the crash, Spota said the incident was “unavoidable,” thus keeping a grand jury from indicting Romeo for vehicular manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide.
From left, Amy Grabina, Brittany Schulman, Lauren Baruch and Stephanie Belli. Photos from Facebook
Belli, Baruch and Schulman were all decorated members of the national and language honor societies by the time they graduated from Smithtown High School West. Over the summer, schools Superintendent James Grossane said Belli, a 2010 graduate, had an infectious smile and was an enthusiastic student and member of the district’s championship kick line team. Baruch, a 2009 graduate, was best known for her booming laugh and unforgettable smile, Grossane said. Schulman, he said, was another 2010 graduate and had a profound love for her family.
Grabina graduated in 2010 from Commack High School and went on to pursue accounting at Florida State University, ultimately landing a job at Ernst & Young in Tallahassee, Fla.
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