Man killed, woman hurt after disabled car hit by alleged drunk driver on Long Island

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Wednesday, September 8, 2021
1 dead, 1 hurt, driver in custody after crash
A man was killed in a suspected drunk drinking crash that closed the Sunrise Highway in Sayville.

SAYVILLE, Suffolk County (WABC) -- A man who had just gotten in an accident was killed when his disabled car was struck by a suspected drunk driver in a crash that closed the Sunrise Highway in Sayville for hours overnight Wednesday.

Police say two cars collided on the eastbound Sunrise Highway near exit 50 about 12:25 a.m., killing 46-year-old Miguel Berdecia, of Central Islip.

His passenger, 42-year-old Lisa Hynds, of Riverhead, who had just exited the vehicle before being struck by it, was critically injured.

The driver of the other vehicle, 37-year-old Daniel Lazzaro, was transported to Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

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Lazzaro, of Centereach, is charged with driving while intoxicated.

Police say Berdecia had initially struck the center median and then the guardrail of the right lane before becoming disabled sideways, facing north, in the center lane.

Hynds had gotten out of the car, which was then struck on the driver's side by Lazzaro, with the impact causing the disabled vehicle to her.

She was airlifted by Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital.

The eastbound lanes of Sunrise Highway were closed between exits 49 and 50 as police investigated.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6553.

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