Eastbound LIE reopens at Exit 52 after crash, official says

Eastbound lanes on the Long Island Expressway were reopened late Thursday afternoon at Exit 52 near Commack after a crash involving a Suffolk police cruiser and two other vehicles, a police spokeswoman said.

“At this point no one is deemed seriously injured,” the spokeswoman said.

The crash happened at about 12:35 p.m., police said.

A Highway Patrol officer was in his vehicle on the eastbound LIE, just east of Exit 52, conducting a traffic stop on the right shoulder of the roadway when his vehicle was struck from behind by another, police said. The police vehicle then struck the vehicle that was pulled over for the traffic stop.

The driver of the vehicle that struck the police car was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The officer and at least one person in the vehicle involved in the traffic stop were also taken to hospitals.

-- With Robert Brodsky

By Nicholas Spangler

nicholas.spangler@newsday.comspanglernewsday

Nicholas Spangler is a general assignment reporter and has worked at Newsday since 2010.