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Three People Killed, Four Injured In Long Island Crash, Police Say

By Angelica N. Sumter
Published on: 06:36 PST, Aug 16, 2017

Three people were killed and four people were injured, including two children, on Monday in the Long Island crash, according to CBS New York. Suffolk County police say that a 20-year-old man, Dominick Lopez, of Shirley, was traveling on Station Road south of Sills Road in Medford at around 4:25 p.m. in his red 1995 Honda Civic when he lost control of his vehicle and crossed the double yellow lines.

Lopez’s vehicle reportedly veered into oncoming traffic, colliding with a northbound 2016 Nissan Pathfinder head-on.

The impact of the Long Island crash prompted Lopez and his passenger, Derek Buffa, 23, of Mastic Beach, to be ejected from the vehicle, authorities say. They were both pronounced dead at the scene upon emergency medical services’ arrival.

It was reported that a 67-year-old back-seat passenger, Aida Cardenas, in the Pathfinder was transported to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center where she later died.

The driver of the SUV, 41-year-old Hugo Atiencia, and his wife, 33, as well as their two sons—11- and 1-years-old—were all taken to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to be okay, according to Suffolk County police.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini stated that the Long Island crash was severe. He said it was seldom that a car accident would lead to three fatalities, dubbing the incident as “one of the more significant crashes of the year.”

Earlier that day, 54-year-old Pauline Aluska, of Lindenhurst, was killed in another Long Island crash. The hit-and-run accident happened at an intersection, authorities say. Investigators are now searching for the person responsible for mowing down a pedestrian and leaving her to die.

Aluska’s brother, Kenneth, said: “If you have a heart, have a soul, turn yourself in.”

Police officials are reviewing surveillance footage and more information will be released at a later date. An investigation into Aluska’s death is ongoing.

Both vehicles involved in the Long Island crash was taken to an impound for safety checks. Suffolk County Police are conducting an investigation to determine what happened in the moments leading up to the fatal Medford crash.

If there is anyone who witnessed the fatal car accident, Detectives ask that you contact Fifth Squad Detectives at 631-854-8552.

[Featured Image by StockFinland/iStock]

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