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Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Diana Kutateladze, 36, of Oceanside, was indicted on multiple charges including aggravated vehicular homicide following a devastating wrong-way crash on the Southern State Parkway that killed an elderly couple and injured eight others on March 15. According to Nassau County prosecutors, Kutateladze was driving westbound with her husband around 10:15 p.m. on Sunday when she lost control of her vehicle, sideswiped a gray BMW, crossed the center median, and continued traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes.
Authorities say Kutateladze’s vehicle struck several more cars before colliding head-on with a 2016 black Toyota Highlander carrying an 82-year-old man and his 88-year-old wife. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police reports. The elderly couple had been returning from church when their lives were cut short by the alleged drunk driver, Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly told reporters.
Prosecutors revealed that Kutateladze was driving 81 mph at the time of the crash and had a blood alcohol content of .15, nearly twice the legal limit of .08. Court documents show she admitted to consuming a whiskey and coke before getting behind the wheel that evening. The multi-vehicle collision involved a total of six vehicles and 10 people, making it one of the most severe crashes on the Southern State Parkway this year.
Kutateladze’s husband suffered critical injuries in the crash and remains hospitalized with head trauma and a brain bleed, according to the District Attorney’s office. Several other drivers and occupants involved in the collision were transported to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries, though the extent of those injuries was not immediately disclosed by authorities.
“A couple who stood for peace and service only to have their lives ended with such violence because this defendant allegedly decided to drive drunk,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said during court proceedings. The emotional weight of the case was evident as prosecutors detailed how the couple’s decades of life together ended in an instant due to an allegedly preventable tragedy.
The grand jury indictment includes an extensive list of charges: two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, two counts of manslaughter in the second degree, aggravated vehicle assault, two counts of vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular assault in the first degree, two counts of vehicular assault in the second degree, four counts of assault in the second degree, driving while intoxicated per se, five counts of assault in the third degree, driving while intoxicated, and reckless driving. Kutateladze has pleaded not guilty to all charges and was remanded to custody.
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred on the Southern State Parkway in Nassau County, a major east-west thoroughfare that serves as a critical transportation artery for Long Island commuters. This stretch of highway has been the site of 330 recorded incidents in the Long Island Traffic database, reflecting the high-volume traffic and challenging driving conditions that characterize this busy roadway. Recent incidents on the Southern State Parkway have included multiple instances of roadwork operations, crashes, and roving repairs, highlighting the ongoing maintenance and safety challenges facing this heavily traveled route.
The parkway’s design, with its center median barrier, typically prevents wrong-way driving incidents, making Kutateladze’s ability to cross into oncoming traffic particularly concerning to traffic safety officials. The 10:15 p.m. timing of the crash occurred during a period when visibility is reduced and weekend evening traffic patterns can create additional hazards for impaired drivers.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Kutateladze appeared in Nassau County court where she was formally arraigned on the indictment charges. The defendant was ordered held without bail and is scheduled to return to court on May 20, 2026, for further proceedings. If convicted on the most serious charges, she faces a potential sentence of 8⅓ to 25 years in state prison, according to prosecutors.
The investigation involved New York State Police, Nassau County Police, and the District Attorney’s office, with investigators reconstructing the sequence of events that led to the fatal collision. Evidence presented to the grand jury included blood alcohol test results, witness statements, and crash reconstruction analysis that determined Kutateladze’s speed and the trajectory of her vehicle across the median barrier.