October 25, 2012 – Long Island, N.Y. – The New York Daily News reported that a Nassau County police officer was killed early Oct. 18 when he was struck by a vehicle while responding to a multi-vehicle crash on the Long Island Expressway.
Joseph Olivieri, 43, was exiting his vehicle at the accident scene when an SUV struck him. That same vehicle also struck a Toyota involved in the first accident. However, the driver of the Toyota was the one arrested.
The Toyota’s driver, James Ryan, 25, of Oakdale, was found to be the cause of an initial crash with a BMW, but he continued driving before stopping in a left lane where he was then hit by a Honda, which turned his Toyota sideways. The driver of the SUV said he was unable to see the car, which was perpendicular to oncoming traffic. The SUV hit Ryan’s Toyota and the officer.
The SUV’s driver was not charged. Ryan was charged with driving while intoxicated, vehicular manslaughter, leaving an incident without a report, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Olivieri was taken to North Shore University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2010, there were 1,200 fatalities as a result of traffic accidents in the state of New York.
To help raise awareness of traffic safety in the New York area, our firm frequently will publish blogs about traffic accidents that occur throughout the five boroughs and beyond. We do this to raise awareness about the common types of motor vehicle accidents that occur in New York that may result in serious injury or traffic fatalities.
The most common types of traffic accidents in New York include:
- accidents caused by hazardous road conditions;
- single-vehicle crashes;
- rollover accidents; and
- “distracted driver” accidents or crashes caused by intoxicated drivers.
If you have been named in this blog or you are the victim’s family member or friend and would like the blog removed from our website, please feel free to contact us and we will accommodate your request promptly.
