LI family mourns victim of upstate snowmobile crash

One Long Island family is mourning the death of a Ronkonkoma man who died in an upstate snowmobile accident while another is praying for the recovery of the man's friend, who was critically injured in the crash.

The accident occurred in the Adirondack Park hamlet of Brantingham at about 1 a.m. Sunday when the two men, each on a snowmobile, failed to negotiate a curve and struck several trees on the shoulder of a roadway, state police said.

Trooper Nicole K. Turck said the crash remains under investigation but the men had been drinking and authorities believe alcohol may have played a role. Both men were wearing helmets, she said, but they weren't fastened.

Turck said the curve was not a difficult one to negotiate.

"They came into the curve and crossed into the other lane and crossed into the trees," she said. "It looks like they were just following each other."

Frank Orobello, 59, of Ronkonkoma, struck a tree and died instantly, police said.

Anthony Gallace, 22, of East Meadow, suffered a head injury and was airlifted to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica, about 50 miles to the south, police said. A hospital spokeswoman said Gallace was in critical condition Sunday.

Anthony Gallace's sister, Jessica, described Orobello as a "family friend." She said the family has been in contact with hospital officials and is "trying to keep positive thoughts" about Gallace's recovery.

Gallace's brothers, Joe and Vinny, and father, Angelo, were on their way Sunday to the hospital, which is 265 miles from East Meadow, Jessica said.

"We're praying for him. We're hoping for the best and hoping he'll pull through," she said.

A woman who answered the phone at Orobello's Ronkonkoma home said the family is grieving and declined further comment.

State police investigated the crash with help from several local emergency service and police agencies, police said.

Gallace and Orobello were both operating Arctic Cat snowmobiles, Gallace's a 2002 model and Orobello's a 2000 model, police said.

Orobello's death was at least the second fatal snowmobile accident involving a Long Islander in the last two months.

Kristen Bednar, 30, of East Patchogue, crashed into a tree while snowmobiling in southern Vermont on New Year's Eve and was airlifted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., where she died, police said.

With Will Van Sant