Fatal Car Accident on Long Island

A Long Island car accident took the lives of two drivers and two passengers on Sunday, August 9.

Tragic Details of the Long Island Car Accident

According to the Long Island News 12, the crash occurred on the Long Island Expressway in Manorville when a driver lost control of his vehicle. Carmelo Pinales was driving his Suburu Outback, traveling eastbound when his vehicle went airborne, traveled over the median and collided with two other vehicles. The BMW and Honda involved in the crash were traveling in the westbound lanes. According to police, there was no way either of the two drivers in the other cars could have avoided the accident.

Pinales, age 26 died at the scene. His sister, Patricia Pinales, age 27, was a passenger in his car and she also died at the scene. Pinales' 10-year-old son, Christopher was critically injured during the crash and later also died. Winnifer Garcia and Patricia Pinales' three-year-old daughter were the other passengers in his car and they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Scott Martella, age 29, was the Honda driver and he also died at the accident scene. Shelbi Thurau, age 29 and Scott’s fiancé was a passenger in Scott’s car. The hospital treated her for non-life-threatening injuries. Scott Martella had served as a former aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and was a spokesman for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

The BMW driver involved in the accident was 73-year-old Marvin Trenzer. He and his three other passengers were from Westhampton. They all received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

Police reported that the speed at which Pinales was driving might have been a factor causing the crash but that Pinales was not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

A Legal Perspective of the Accident

The accident is still under investigation, but Pinales was clearly at fault since his car crossed the median and crashed into the other two cars. The full underlying reason for losing control is still unknown at this time.

Typically in a car accident case that results in costs exceeding $50,000 or serious injuries or death, victims can seek damages from the at-fault party through a lawsuit. Claimants may pursue economic damages along with non-economic damages, including pain and suffering.

Have you lost a loved one or been injured in a car accident?

At Sackstein, Sackstein & Lee, LLP, our attorneys have extensive experience with car accident cases and offer a free consultation to evaluate your case.