2 hurt in crash on Southern State

A driver who apparently fell asleep at the wheel was seriously injured Sunday morning when his car hit another vehicle, pinning it to a guardrail, before crashing into the woods off the Southern State Parkway, according to North Massapequa fire authorities.

The man, who was not identified, was driving a Chrysler 300 west on the Southern State Parkway when he crashed into the rear of a sport utility vehicle about 6:44 a.m. near the Bethpage State Parkway exit, said Fred Ferrara, second deputy chief of the North Massapequa Fire Department.

The SUV was pinned next to a guardrail under an overpass, while the Chrysler came to rest about 700 feet up the road in a wooded area, Ferrara said.

When rescuers arrived, they found the driver of the Chrysler outside of his car with critical injuries to his back, neck, head and legs, Ferrara said.

The driver told state troopers that he had fallen asleep, Ferrara said.

The SUV driver was trapped inside his vehicle, Ferrara said.

The Bethpage Fire Department brought heavy-rescue equipment, and the two departments worked together to extricate the man, who had back, neck and head injuries.

Both drivers were taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow for treatment. Neither car was carrying passengers, Ferrara said.

Backed-up traffic on the Southern State was moving by midmorning, according to state troopers.