Woman indicted in fatal wrong-way multi-vehicle DWI crash on Southern State Parkway
NASSAU COUNTY, Long Island (WABC) -- On Long Island, a driver was back in court to face numerous charges including drunk driving in a deadly crash on the Southern State Parkway.
Two people were killed, and several injured in the multi-vehicle crash last month.
This comes as New York State Police launch a crackdown on reckless driving on the Southern State Parkway.
Police say Diana Kutateladze, 36, of Oceanside, was driving with her husband westbound on the parkway on Sunday, March 15 around 10:15 p.m. when she lost control of her vehicle, sideswiped a gray BMW, crossed the center median and continued traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes.
Authorities say she hit several more vehicles before hitting a 2016 black Toyota Highlander head on.
Two people in the Highlander, 82-year-old Donald Maxwell and his wife, 88-year-old Liscent Maxwell, were pronounced dead at the scene.
They were on their way back from church when their lives were cut short by the alleged drunk driver, according to Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
"A couple who stood for peace and service only to have their lives ended with such violence because this defendant allegedly decided to drive drunk," said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
A total of six vehicles and 10 people were involved in the crash.
Several other drivers and occupants involved in the crash were transported to local hospitals. Her husband was critically injured in the crash as well. He's still in the hospital, according to the DA, who told Eyewitness News he had head trauma and a brain bleed.
Prosecutors say Kutateladze was driving 81 mph and her blood alcohol content was .15, which is above the legal limit.
They say she admitted to having a whiskey and coke before getting behind the wheel.
Kutateladze was indicted on two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide; vehicular manslaughter in the first degree; two counts of manslaughter in the second degree; aggravated vehicle assault; two counts of vehicular manslaughter in the second degree; vehicular assault in the first degree; two counts of vehicular assault in the second degree; four counts of assault in the second degree; driving while intoxicated per se; five counts of assault in the third degree; driving while intoxicated; and reckless driving.
She has pleaded not guilty and was remanded.
Kutateladze is due back in court on May 20, 2026. If convicted, she faces up to 8-1/3 to 25 years in prison.
To reduce the number of crashes on the Southern State Parkway, New York State Police are launching Operation Southern Shield, a targeted traffic enforcement initiative.
The initiative will be in effect through June 12.
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