Cops: Mom, infant injured in crash

A pregnant woman was seriously hurt and an infant girl critically injured when the car they were in went airborne on the Long Island Expressway service road Thursday night in Brentwood, crashing into a 7-Eleven store, Suffolk County police said.

The driver, Jose Escobar, 29, of 472 Cross St., Westbury, was charged Friday with driving while intoxicated, police said.

Police said the woman, Maria Guillen, 27, is Escobar's girlfriend. The infant, 10-month-old Helen Escobar, is his daughter.

Police said the car, a white Nissan Maxima, was going west on Express Drive North at an "apparent high rate of speed" when it left the road, crossed a grassy median, became airborne -- and slammed into the 7-Eleven.

Police said the car was trying to exit onto Motor Parkway just after 8 p.m. when it crashed.

Guillen was airlifted to Stony Brook University Medical Center, where she was in critical condition Friday night, a hospital official said. The status of her unborn child was not known.

The infant, Helen, was taken to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore with what police called "critical injuries." She was later transferred to Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, Queens. Her condition was not available.

Police said Escobar was taken by ambulance to Stony Brook University Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said the investigation into the accident is continuing,Trim to end for space?/ts but said Escobar has not been charged with DWI under Leandra's Law -- which makes it a felony, even on first offense, to drive drunk with a child under age 16 in the car.

Suffolk County sheriffs said they closed westbound Exit 53 for more than two hours after the one-car accident.

With Bill Mason