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Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 69-year-old Huntington Station woman was seriously injured Sunday afternoon when an 18-year-old driver lost control of his Cadillac and crossed into oncoming traffic, triggering a three-vehicle crash on Jericho Turnpike in West Hills, according to Suffolk County police.
The collision occurred on Jericho Turnpike near Brooks Avenue at approximately 3:04 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, Second Squad detectives reported. An 18-year-old West Hills driver was driving a 2006 Cadillac eastbound on Jericho Turnpike when he lost control of the vehicle and veered into the westbound traffic lanes, police said.
The out-of-control Cadillac then struck a 2022 Honda CR-V head-on, according to investigators. The Honda CR-V was being driven by a 69-year-old Huntington Station woman, police said. The force of the initial collision caused a chain reaction crash as the Honda CR-V subsequently struck a 2018 Honda Accord that was also traveling in the westbound lane, detectives reported.
The 69-year-old woman sustained serious physical injuries in the crash and was transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore for treatment, police said. Both the 18-year-old driver and a 17-year-old passenger in his Cadillac were taken to Huntington Hospital for treatment of what police described as non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Honda Accord, a 21-year-old Huntington Station resident, was not injured in the collision, according to police. A 45-year-old passenger in the Accord also escaped injury, investigators said.
All three vehicles involved in the crash were impounded by police for mandatory safety checks, according to authorities. The collision required the response of multiple emergency agencies to the scene on Jericho Turnpike, though specific details about which departments responded were not immediately available from police.
Second Squad detectives are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, police said. The investigation will likely examine factors such as road conditions, weather, vehicle maintenance, and driver behavior leading up to the collision. Authorities are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information relevant to the investigation to contact the Second Squad at 631-854-8252.
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred on Jericho Turnpike near Brooks Avenue in West Hills, a stretch of roadway that serves as a major east-west arterial through Nassau and Suffolk counties. Jericho Turnpike, also known as Route 25, is one of Long Island’s most heavily traveled corridors, connecting communities from Queens through the North Shore and extending into eastern Suffolk County.
This section of Jericho Turnpike in West Hills runs through a mixed residential and commercial area, with the Brooks Avenue intersection serving local traffic accessing nearby neighborhoods. The roadway typically carries significant traffic volumes throughout the day, particularly during weekend afternoon hours when the crash occurred. The head-on nature of this collision underscores the inherent dangers of the undivided sections of Jericho Turnpike, where only painted lane markings separate opposing traffic flows.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The ongoing investigation by Second Squad detectives will likely focus on determining the exact cause of why the 18-year-old driver lost control of his 2006 Cadillac and crossed into oncoming traffic. While police have not announced any charges at this time, the investigation could examine factors including driver inexperience, mechanical failure, road conditions, or potential driver impairment.
Given that the driver is 18 years old and was operating a vehicle that caused serious injuries to another motorist, prosecutors may review the case for potential charges ranging from reckless driving to more serious vehicular assault charges, depending on the findings of the police investigation. The presence of a 17-year-old passenger in the driver’s vehicle adds another dimension to the case, as investigators will examine whether any factors related to the passenger may have contributed to the crash.
Updates
- Sep 5, 2026: Additional reporting merged into this article: “Woman Seriously Injured in Motor Vehicle Accident” (source)