Police ID Man Who Died In Multi-Vehicle Crash On LIE

PLAINVIEW, NY — Police have identified the man who died in a multi-vehicle crash on the Long Island Expressway Saturday morning as Gracia Destra, 55, of Ronkonkoma.

The Nassau County Police Department's homicide squad said the crash took place at 7:14 a.m. in Plainview. According to detectives, Nassau County Police Department highway officers responded to the crash, located at Long Island Expressway at Exit 46.

A 2002 Mazda pick-up truck, operated by a 55-year-old man, was traveling eastbound and struck a 2006 Honda Pilot operated by a 29-year-old male, authorities said.

The Pilot driver stopped in the HOV lane and the Mazda came to a stop in the left lane of the expressway, police said.

Next, the driver of the Mazda exited his vehicle and a 2017 Rav4 operated by a 47-year-old male struck the Mazda, causing it to hit its driver, now out of his vehicle, police said.

A 2011 Subaru Outback driven by a 27-year-old male attempted to avoid the vehicles in the left lane and switched over to the HOV lane, where it was struck by a 2015 Chevy Suburban driven by a 69-year-old man, police said.

The driver of the Mazda was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased by a hospital physician, police said.

The driver of the Outback was transported to a local hospital for evaluation; the operator of the Suburban was transported to a local hospital with chest pains; and two other occupants of the Suburban were also transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, police said.

The operators of the Rav4 and the Outback remained at the scene and had no injuries, police said.

The investigation is ongoing, police said.