Shirley man dies after hitting car, pillar on Sunrise Highway, police say

A 50-year-old Shirley man was identified in a fatal motor vehicle crash on Sunrise Highway in North Bellport that happened Friday night, Suffolk County police said. 

Paul Freiler was in a 2017 GMC Sierra heading east on Sunrise Highway west of Exit 55 around 9:45 p.m. when he struck the rear of a 2017 Lincoln sedan driven by Henry Dittmer, 77, of Bay Shore, police said. 

The Lincoln veered off the road and into the center median, striking the divider. The GMC continued east for about 100 feet and crashed into a concrete pillar under the Sills Road overpass, police said.

Freiler was taken to Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead, police said.  

Dittmer was taken to the same hospital for treatment of minor injuries, police said.

By Joie Tyrrell

joie.tyrrell@newsday.com@JoieTyrrell

Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.