Cops: Islip Terrace man, 19, killed in Robert Moses Causeway crash

One person was killed and two others were injured in a three-car crash that closed the southbound Robert Moses Causeway between Montauk Highway and Ocean Parkway for more than five hours Thursday, State Police said. The road was reopened just before noon, police said.

Police said Jaylen Kelly, 19 of Islip Terrace, the driver of a 2002 Toyota Corolla, was airlifted from the scene, but later died of his injuries.

The crash was reported in a 911 call at 6:41 a.m., police said. Suffolk County officials said West Islip firefighters, a Suffolk County police aviation unit, State Police and state parks police all responded to the scene. The northbound span also was briefly closed for the medevac helicopter to land, officials said.

The two injured were taken to nearby Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, police said. Idalecio Coelho, 47 of Farmingville, who was driving a 2004 Ford F-150, was hospitalized with internal injuries, while Kristin Kostik, 35 of Sayville, who was driving a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was treated and released. 

A witness who drove past the crash scene said it was on the main southbound span over Great South Bay, on the section approaching Captree Island.

That witness described one of the vehicles being so mangled that no wheel wells were visible.

Police said the investigation into the cause of the crash was continuing.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”