Police still investigating cause of N. Centereach accident involving officer

A Suffolk police officer and a Selden man were injured when their vehicles collided in an intersection late Monday, officials said.

Michael Saletel, a Sixth Precinct patrol officer, was on duty and driving a marked car north on Nicolls Road at 11:11 p.m. went he exited and went under the overpass at Middle Country Road, police said. Another driver, Franklin Villatoro, 40, of Selden, was at the wheel of a 1994 Ford and headed south on Nichols. He was taking a left turn onto Middle Country Road when the crash occurred in the intersection.

A police spokeswoman said Villatoro collided with the patrol car on its driver side. A photograph of the aftermath shows the crumpled front end of the patrol car, its hood bent to the windshield. Both sustained minor injuries and were taken to Stony Brook University Medical Center.

Police said Saletel was not responding to a radio call but may have been taking police action, possibly after spotting a traffic violation, before the collision. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and it was unclear if the officer had his lights and sirens on or who had the green light before the crash. No tickets were issued.

A Stony Brook spokeswoman said neither were at the hospital late yesterday afternoon. Attempts to reach Villatoro were unsuccessful.