Hundreds mourn Manorville mom, her son

Hundreds of people gathered yesterday afternoon to mourn a Manorville mother and her son killed last weekend in a car crash.

A long line of mourners moved slowly through Moloney's funeral home in Lake Ronkonkoma to pay respects to Keri Trinca, 30, and Jason, 7.

Keri Trinca wore a tiara. Her son, a go-kart devotee, was dressed in his racing suit. Outside, a dozen go-karts and racing cars were parked side by side, some emblazoned with Jason's No. 48.

In his young life, he had already found his passion. The racing community was an extended family of sorts for the Trincas, who spent many summer weekends at Riverhead Raceway.

Keri and Jason Trinca died Oct. 8 after the sedan she was driving was struck by a van near their home. Two of the Trincas' younger children were seriously injured.

Inside the funeral home Saturday, family photographs played on video monitors set to music. Among the images was one of Jason at his second birthday party, wearing a cone hat and being towed behind a boat in an inflatable tube.

On display were dozens of Jason's trophies -- for racing, as well as soccer, basketball, baseball and football.

Visiting will continue Sunday, with the funeral Mass scheduled for 10:45 a.m. Monday.

The day of the accident, Keri Trinca was driving her 1998 Honda Accord near her Manorville home about 8:25 a.m. when she was apparently broadsided by a Ford van at the intersection of County Road 111 and Montauk Avenue, off Oceanview Boulevard, Suffolk County police said. All three children were in the backseat. Keri Trinca was pronounced dead at the scene. Jason died a short time later at Peconic Bay Medical Center.

Police said the cause of the crash is still under investigation and no charges have been filed. The van driver, Steven Vonfricken, 51, of St. James, suffered minor injuries.

On Friday, 2-year-old Christopher Trinca was released from the hospital, with his father, Jason Trinca, calling it "a miracle." Four-year-old Maria Trinca is improving but "still has a ways to go in her recovery," said Dr. Margaret Parker, head of Stony Brook Medical Center's pediatric intensive-care unit.

Donations can be sent to the Trinca Family Memorial Trust at P.O. Box 520, Ridge, NY 11961.