Wake held for family members killed in Long Island Expressway crash

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Thursday, August 25, 2016
6th person dies in multi-vehicle crash on LIE
Kristin Thorne has the report.

MANORVILLE, Long Island (WABC) -- Mourners gathered Thursday to remember three members of a Long Island family who were killed in Sunday's multi-vehicle crash on the Long Island Expressway in Manorville.

A wake for 26-year-old Carmelo Pinales of Hicksville, his 27-year-old sister Patricia Pinales of Westbury and his 10-year-old son Christopher was held at Hartnett Funeral Home in Uniondale.

Their funerals will be held Friday at 9:30 a.m. at St. Martha's Catholic Church in Uniondale.

Two survivors of the crash filed a lawsuit against the state Thursday over the ongoing construction in the area.

Police said Carmelo Pinales was driving eastbound in his Subaru Outback when he apparently lost control of his vehicle, which crossed over the grassy median, went airborne and struck two vehicles, a BMW and a Honda, that were traveling westbound.

Pinales and Patricia Pinales were pronounced dead at the scene. Christopher was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Two others in that vehicle, including Patricia's 3-year-old daughter, were injured.

A passenger in the BMW, Isidore Adelson, 81, of Westhampton, was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries late Sunday. Adelson's 71-year-old wife Helen died Monday.

Funerals for the Adelsons were held Wednesday in Westhampton Beach.

PHOTOS: Scene, victims in Long Island Expressway crash

1 of 17

Also killed in the crash was Scott Martella, a Communications Director at the Office of Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone. He also worked previously for Governor Andrew Cuomo's office.

Martella's fiancee, 29-year-old Shelbi Thurau was transported to a local hospital where she is being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

VIDEO: Recap of tragic crash

Watch a recap of what happened in a crash on the Long Island Expressway that left at least 6 people dead.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)