MANORVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — A fifth person has died following a multi-vehicle crash on the Long Island Expressway that also killed a former aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a father and his young son and the boy’s aunt.
Four others remain hospitalized from the crash, which happened just after 9:30 a.m. Sunday near exit 68 in Manorville.
Authorities believe 26-year-old Carmelo Pinales of Hicksville was speeding eastbound on the LIE when he lost control of his Subaru Outback, crossed the median and went airborne, crashing into a BMW and a Honda that were traveling westbound.
“There is some road work in that area and there is, up on the bridge, there’s some steel plates on the road and it’s possible that the driver was alarmed by the change in surface,” Suffolk County Chief of Detectives Gerard Gigante told WCBS 880’s Sean Adams. “Or, it appears he was traveling at a high rate of speed, may have over braked.”
The impact killed Pinales and his 27-year-old sister, Patricia Pinales. His 10-year-old son, Christopher, and two others in the Subaru, a 21-year-old passenger and Patricia’s 3-year-old daughter, were all taken to the hospital.
Christopher later died of his injuries, police said.
Patricia and Carmelo Pinales. (credit: image via CBS2)
The driver of the Honda, 29-year-old Scott Martella, was also killed. His fiancé, 29-year-old Shelbi Thurau, was injured.
A passenger in the BMW, 81-year-old Isidore Adelson, was taken to a hospital, where he also succumbed to his injuries late Sunday. Three others in the BMW, including Adelson’s wife, Helen, were hurt.
Patricia Pinales’ daughter is expected to undergo surgery at Stony Brook University Hospital, 1010 WINS’ Samantha Liebman reported. Helen Adelson was taken to Southside Hospital where she is in critical condition.
“Some of the serious and critically injured patients obviously are not in a state where they are aware of what occurred yet,” James Vosswinkel, chief of surgery Stony Brook Hospital, told CBS2’s Magdalena Doris.
Martella was a former aide to Cuomo and the communications director for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.
Photo of Scott Martella. (credit: Facebook/Scott Martella)
“The hundreds of people Scott has worked with over the years and the thousands of people whose lives he has positively impacted would describe him as nothing short of an amazing person,” Bellone said in a statement.
Cuomo described Martella as being up for any challenge.
“This was a really, really beautiful, beautiful young man. He just loved public service. He loved helping people,” Cuomo said. “It is one of the great great tragedies and there are no words for it.”
“Scott was deeply respected for his strong work ethic, candor and fighting spirit,” Cuomo said in a statement. “Long island is a better place today because of his service and dedication to the community.”
He was also a former board member of Long Island Cares, Inc. CEO Paule T. Pachter issued a statement calling Martella “a very bright and dedicated young professional with a passion for politics and a desire to become involved in charitable work on Long Island.”
All three cars involved have been impounded by police for safety checks.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.