Glen Head motorcyclist, 19, killed in crash

A Glen Head teenager was thrown from his motorcycle and killed early Saturday in a crash on Glen Cove Road in East Hills involving a sport utility vehicle, a taxicab and the motorcyclist, Nassau County police said.

The driver of the SUV - Juan Uribe, 36, of Glen Cove - was arrested on charges on second-degree vehicular manslaughter and driving while ability impaired, police said.

Pietro Gaudesi, 19, died in the crash, which occurred about 2:20 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Glen Cove Road near Midwood Cross. Medical personnel pronounced Gaudesi dead at the scene at about 2:30 a.m.

Shortly after noon Saturday, a crowd of about two dozen young people were near the scene to place flowers on a tree that was decorated with photographs and handwritten messages.

Outside the Gaudesi family's Glen Head home later in the afternoon, a group of young people gathered. One young woman said she was too distraught to speak with a reporter.

The incident began when Uribe, who was driving north in his Nissan, hit a tree, police said. The SUV stopped in the northbound lanes and was struck by a taxicab, a Ford sedan from Stuart's Taxi. Gaudesi's 2009 Yamaha then crashed into the Nissan, police said.

Detectives suspect that Uribe had a combination of alcohol and a prescription drug or drugs in his system at the time of the crash. His blood was drawn and detectives are awaiting the results of that test, police said.

The male taxi driver, 54, and a female passenger, 25, were taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. A 32-year-old male passenger in the cab was not injured, police said.

Uribe was arrested at North Shore University Hospital, where he was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, police said. An arraignment date for him had not been set.

- With Matthew Chayes and Carl MacGowan