Boy Critically Injured in Long Island Crash Dies

The Latest on a Long Island accident that killed four people, including a former aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and a 10-year-old boy.

Five people are dead after a violent crash on the westbound Long Island Expressway, including a family of three, an 81-year-old man, and a former aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo, The multi-car accident happened at about 9:35 a.m. Sunday near Exit 68 in Shirley.

Police are looking into a witness report that Pinales was speeding.

Scott Martella, who worked in the Cuomo administration for four years, more recently served as a spokesman for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

Carmelo Pinales, 26, of Hicksville, was driving a Subaru Outback eastbound when he lost control of the auto, crossed the median, went airborne and struck two vehicles a westbound BMW and Honda near Exit 68 at 9:35 a.m., Suffolk County police said. His fiancee, sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Carmelo Pinales, 26, of Hicksville, and his sister, Patricia Pinales, 27, of Westbury, were pronounced dead at the scene by a physician’s assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.

Police said a gray Subaru Outback was traveling eastbound when it crossed over the grassy median, went airborne and struck a BMW and a Honda traveling westbound. One person was in critical condition at a hospital while the others are either in serious condition or have minor injuries and are expected to survive, said Suffolk Chief of Detectives Gerard Gigante on Sunday afternoon near the crash scene.

The driver of the Honda, 29-year-old Scott Martella was also killed.

Steven Bellone paid tribute to his communications director Sunday night on Facebook, writing, ‘Scott Martella dedicated his all too brief life to public service and to helping others.

Investigators are still working to determine why the eastbound vehicle lost control, but Gigante said “we’re looking into the fact that we believe speed might have been a factor”. His fiancée, Shelbi Thurau, 29, of Northport, was transported to a local hospital where she was treated for non-life threatening injuries.