Woman hurt in Melville crash was driving wrong way, police say

A Babylon woman was critically injured in a collision with a tractor-trailer late Thursday in Melville after she drove south in the northbound lanes, Suffolk County police said.

Koren Tanner, 31, was airlifted via police helicopter to Stony Brook University Medical Center in critical condition.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Everth Escobar, 31, of Falls Church, Va., was uninjured in the crash, which took place on Pinelawn Road near Marcus Drive.

The crash occurred at 10:25 p.m. just south of Colonial Springs Road - near the national cemetery and Newsday's building.

Police said it is unclear why Tanner was driving her 1999 Nissan Maxima the wrong way on the multilane road, which is divided by a wide center island in the immediate area.

The force of the collision with the 2001 Volvo tractor-trailer destroyed the front end of the Nissan. Emergency responders from the Melville Fire Department used heavy-rescue tools to cut into what was left of the car to extricate Tanner, who was pinned in the wreckage, local fire officials said.

The department had 40 volunteers and emergency services personnel on site - with three fire engines, three ambulances and a heavy rescue truck.

Escobar, the driver of the tractor trailer, declined medical attention, Melville Fire Chief Robert Warren said.

The accident closed the road for hours in both directions.

The Maxima was impounded for a safety check and the tractor trailer was examined at the scene by the Suffolk County Police Motor Safety Carrier Unit, police said. Police said they are still investigating.

Detectives are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call the Second Squad at 631-854-8252 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.