Cops: Most of westbound LIE reopen after Islandia pileup
The westbound LIE in Islandia reopened Wednesday afternoon following an earlier crash that left six people injured, Suffolk County police said. Credit: Joseph Sperber
A Mastic Beach woman was hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday after a six-vehicle pileup that shut down the westbound LIE in Islandia for several hours, police said.
Amanda McDermott, 35, was driving a 2006 Ford Econoline van, registered to Manorville-based Independent Group Home Living, about 10:45 a.m. on the Long Island Expressway when traffic stopped about a quarter-mile east of Old Nichols Road and she crashed into other vehicles.
A 59-year-old man was a passenger in the van but police not immediately say if he was injured.
McDermott was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital in critical condition, police said. Five other people were also taken to hospitals where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.
Suffolk police Wednesday afternoon said only the right lane of the westbound LIE between Exit 59 and Exit 58 remained closed.
Two commercial vehicles, including a sand truck, underwent safety checks at the scene by the Suffolk County Motor Carrier Safety Unit and two other vehicles were impounded for safety checks, police said.
With John Valenti
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
