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Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A Polish national accused of causing a fatal drunk driving crash in Cutchogue in 2022 has been extradited from Poland to Suffolk County to face charges in the death of a 60-year-old Massapequa woman, prosecutors announced Tuesday. Adam Chrzanowski, 45, formerly of Riverhead and a native of Poland, had fled the United States in March 2024 after being indicted but was successfully tracked down through international law enforcement cooperation.
The deadly collision occurred on March 6, 2022, at approximately 6:04 p.m. on Route 25 in Cutchogue, according to an investigation conducted by Detective Roman Wilinski of the Southold Police Department. Chrzanowski was driving a 2021 Toyota RAV4 eastbound when he allegedly crossed over the double yellow lines attempting to pass another vehicle. His SUV then crashed head-on with a 2019 Nissan Rogue traveling in the westbound lanes, with the victim seated in the front passenger seat of the Nissan.
The violent impact caused two additional vehicles to go off the roadway and spin out of control, according to previous reports. The driver of the Nissan Rogue suffered catastrophic injuries including multiple fractures to his spine, clavicle, sternum, ribs and leg, prosecutors said. The passenger underwent several surgeries for severe internal injuries and fractures but succumbed to her injuries on September 12, 2022, more than six months after the crash.
“This defendant’s alleged dangerous and deadly choice to drive drunk caused the death of the victim, who was simply headed home after visiting a family member,” District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a press release following the extradition. “When it was finally time to face the charges for his actions, he allegedly fled the country.”
The extradition represented the culmination of an extensive international manhunt. While his case was pending, Chrzanowski allegedly boarded a plane at JFK Airport on March 10, 2024, and flew to Poland to avoid prosecution, according to the DA’s office. A bench warrant was issued March 25, 2024, after he failed to appear on the indictment for bail jumping charges.
“Interpol was good enough to track him down and the U.S. marshals did pretty much all of the work,” Detective Wilinski told The Suffolk Times in a phone interview. With the assistance of federal and Polish authorities, Chrzanowski was eventually located and returned to the United States to face justice.
Southold Police Chief Steve Grattan expressed satisfaction with the successful extradition effort. “He made the decision that day to get behind the wheel and it resulted in a tragedy and he’ll be accountable for that,” Chief Grattan said Tuesday afternoon. District Attorney Tierney thanked the Southold Town Police Department, United States Marshal Services’ New York and New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Department of Justice for their collaborative work to bring Chrzanowski “to justice.”
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred on Route 25 in Cutchogue, a major east-west thoroughfare that serves as the primary route through the North Fork of Long Island. This stretch of roadway carries significant traffic as it connects the various North Fork communities and provides access to the area’s numerous vineyards, farms, and seasonal destinations. The two-lane highway with double yellow center lines requires drivers to exercise particular caution when attempting passing maneuvers due to limited sight distances and oncoming traffic.
Route 25 through Cutchogue passes through both residential and commercial areas, with the 6:04 p.m. timeframe of the crash occurring during typical evening commuter hours when local residents would be traveling home from work or visiting family in the area.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Chrzanowski was initially arraigned on December 21, 2022, before County Court Judge Stephen Braslow on a comprehensive slate of charges including aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, aggravated vehicular assault, assault, driving while intoxicated, aggravated driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. Court records show he had previously been arrested on drunk driving charges by Southold police in 2017, establishing a pattern of impaired driving behavior.
Following his extradition, Chrzanowski was arraigned Tuesday on the additional bail jumping charge before County Court Judge Bryan Browns, who ordered him held without bail until his next court appearance on April 8. The case is being prosecuted by assistant district attorneys Ray Varuolo and Jeffrey Rosenheck of the Vehicular Crime Bureau, and assistant district attorney Grazia Divincenzo of the Appeals and Training Bureau. Chrzanowski is being represented by Hauppauge-based attorney Christopher Gioe, who could not be immediately reached for comment when contacted by The Suffolk Times Tuesday afternoon.