Man charged in Centereach crash that left one dead, 2 injured, police say

A Farmingville man was charged with driving while high on drugs after he was involved in two crashes that killed a 21-year-old man and injured two other people in Centereach on Sunday evening, Suffolk County police said.

Christopher Guzman, 39, was driving a 2022 Chevrolet pickup truck west on Middle Country Road, near Wood Road, when his vehicle struck the side of an eastbound 2011 Toyota Camry, driven by Virginia Molkentin, 66, of Coram at about 5 p.m. He kept driving westbound and struck a westbound 2012 Ford Escape, driven by Stacy Carpenter, 55, police said.

Carpenter’s passenger, his nephew, Timothy Carpenter, 21, was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Guzman and Molkentin were taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Stacy Carpenter was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

Guzman was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs.

He was arraigned Monday and held after bail was set at $10,000 bond or $5,000 cash, records show.

Anthony Lapinta, Guzman's Hauppauge-based defense attorney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Guzman is due back in court April 7.

Detectives ask anyone with information on the crash to contact the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555.

With Robert Brodsky