What to Know
- The driver who allegedly sparked a multi-vehicle wreck on the L.I.E. in March, killing a woman and injuring 7 others, has been indicted
- Peter Visconti Jr., 37, of Mastic is accused of driving while under the influence of cocaine and Xanax, and with a suspended license
- He's due back in court on May 17
The 37-year-old Long Island man who sparked a multi-vehicle crash on the Long Island Expressway in March, killing one woman and injuring seven others, had cocaine and Xanax in his system at the time, and was driving with a suspended license, prosecutors say.
Peter Visconti Jr. of Mastic was arraigned Friday on felonies including aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter and other charges related to the fatal March 31 crash. He's also facing a slew of traffic-related misdemeanors.
The Suffolk district attorney's office says Visconti was driving a 2004 Ford pickup truck westbound on the L.I.E. near William Floyd Parkway in Shirley at around 3:30 p.m. when he hit a 2011 Honda minivan. He was allegedly driving erractically and had veered off the road twice before the crash.
His truck crossed over the median and onto the eastbound lanes, where it hit a motorcycle and a 2013 Toyota minivan. The force of the impact caused the side panel from the minivan to become impaled on Visconti's truck.
A passenger in the Toyota minivan was pronounced dead at Long Island Medical Center in East Patchogue after the crash, and the other six passengers, all visiting from China, were injured and transported to area hospitals, prosecutors say. Three of them has serious physical injuries.
The motorcyclist also suffered serious physical injury. The passengers in the Honda minivan did not receive medical treatment.
Visconti was taken to Brookhaven Hospital to be treated for minor injuries, and was interviewed by police at the hospital. He showed signs of drug impairment, and after consenting to a blood test, tested positive for the drug popularly known as Xanax and cocaine, according to authorities.
He was also driving with a suspended license at the time.
Bail for Visconti has been set at $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond. He's due back in court on May 17.
Local
Attorney information for him wasn't immediately clear.
