Man changing tire on LIE hit, seriously hurt, police say

A two-vehicle crash on the eastbound Long Island Expressway in Yaphank left a man with serious injuries and tied up traffic at the height of rush hour Friday, police said.

An unidentified man was changing a tire in between the left lane and center median, just past the exit ramp of Exit 66 when a car struck his vehicle at about 5:55 p.m., police said

The man was transported to Stony Brook University Medical Center via a Suffolk County police helicopter with serious injuries, police said.

The unidentified female driver of the other vehicle was not injured and stayed at the scene.

Both vehicles were impounded for safety checks. Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating.

By Deborah S. Morris

deborah.morris@newsday.comdsvmorris

Deborah Morris is a native Long Islander and covers the town of Huntington.