What to Know
- Four people are dead and two others are hurt, one of them seriously, after a multi-vehicle collision on Long Island's Southern State Parkway that apparently was caused by a wrong-way driver, New York State Police said
- State Police said they received a call about an eastbound crash involving three vehicles and a motorcycle around 5:10 a.m. near exit 29; moments before, the 911 call on the wrong-way driver came in
- The Southern State Parkway was closed in the area as authorities investigated, but has since reopened
Four people are dead and two others are hurt, one of them seriously, after a multi-vehicle collision on Long Island's Southern State Parkway early Tuesday that apparently was caused by a wrong-way driver, New York State Police said.
State Police said they received a call about an eastbound crash involving three vehicles and a motorcycle around 5:10 a.m. near exit 29 in Nassau County's North Massapequa. Moments earlier, a 911 call about the wrong-way driver came in.
According to State Police, a Toyota sedan, with the driver as the only occupant, was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes when it struck an SUV carrying four people on their way to work head on. A third vehicle, also an SUV, with its driver as the only occupant, tried to avoid the collision, but struck the Toyota. A motorcyclist also tried to avoid the crash, but lost control and hit debris from the crash.
The driver of the sedan, a 33-year-old man from Farmingale and three occupants of the first SUV -- the 67-year-old male driver, a 57-year-old woman and a 34-year-old woman -- all died at the scene. The fourth occupant is in critical condition. All three of the occupants from the SUV who died were from Hempstead.
The driver of the third vehicle wasn't hurt; the motorcyclist suffered non life-threatening injuries.
The Southern State Parkway was closed in the area as authorities investigated, but has since reopened.
Local
Investigators say it appears the Toyota driver traveled less than a mile the wrong way before slamming into the first SUV. They're trying to determine where he entered the parkway and whether alcohol or drugs were involved. Police believe the man had only traveled about a mile before the fatal crash.
It's the latest tragedy on a century-old roadway state officials say is one of the most dangerous in New York.
Democratic state assemblywoman Michaelle Solages wrote a bill calling for a safety study of the Southern State Parkway in an effort to prevent wrong-way crashes like this. Her state senate colleague, Democrat John Brooks, says without roadway improvements, dramatic action may be needed to keep drivers safe.
State Police ask anyone with information on the collision to call (631) 756-3300.
