Drivers Killed in Wrong-Way Crash on Northern State Parkway Identified

Police have identified the two drivers who died in the suspected drunken wrong-way crash on a Long Island highway Tuesday.

Brittany Vella, 25, of Middle Island, and Sarwan NN, 60, of Smithtown, died as a result of the head-on crash, authorities said. Vella was the driver suspected of driving drunk before leading police on a chase.

Authorities say an officer tried to pull Vella over near Central Islip shortly before 3 a.m. but she drove off, nearly hitting the officer. Vella then drove the wrong way on the Northern State Parkway near and crashed head-on into NN near Dix Hills, killing both drivers, police said.

Police say in addition to a possible DWI, they were also investigating whether Vella was driving a stolen car.

NN was a taxi driver, and every night he would park his yellow New York City taxi in Floral Park, then make the 30-mile drive home to his family in Smithtown, his son told NBC 4 New York Thursday.

"My dad, after working 12 hours, coming home from work to his family -- such a senseless tragedy," Dr. Ranjit Singh said over the phone. 

"It's been three days and I wake up every morning and all of a sudden I realize that maybe it's a dream. Of course it's not," he said. 

Family friend Rachhel Qur, who lives in the Floral Park home where the cab would be parked, said her father grew up with NN in India. 

"I felt like something happened to my own father," she said. "It's definitely a shock to us, it's a bad thing. Shouldn't have happened to him."

Suffolk Police said they followed proper protocol in the chase. Policy calls for a pursuit when "the necessity for immediate apprehension clearly outweighs the risk of danger created by the pursuit, such as an individual who may be operating a vehicle in an intoxicated condition." 

Radio dispatch recordings from the call seem to verify that; a dispatcher is heard telling officers: "All units use caution. Do not endanger the lives of the public or other officers. Road supervisor to direct the pursuit." 

Dix Hills resident Pat Passos agreed, saying, "The cops really just were doing their job. They had to stop that person and that was the best of their ability. They did not expect that person to drive the wrong way." 

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