Owen McKeown, 19, killed when his SUV hits pole, downing wires in Bay Shore

A Bay Shore man was killed when the SUV he drove struck a utility pole early Friday in Bay Shore, Suffolk County police said.

Owen McKeown, 19, was driving a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek east on Orinoco Drive around 4:05 a.m. when the SUV hit the pole, knocking down wires and rolling onto a commercial property at 655 Orinoco Dr., police said in a news release.

The crash occurred on Orinoco Drive and was reported in a 911 call at 4:06 a.m., police said. PSEG had reported some minor outages in the area, which were cleared by late morning.

As of 11:30 a.m., the drive was still closed between Mystic Oak Drive and Ridgeway Boulevard, as crew worked to repair the downed pole and wires.

McKeown was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic from Bay Shore Brightwaters Rescue Ambulance. The Subaru was impounded for a safety check.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to contact the Third Squad at 631-854-8352.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.