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Police: Indication Of Drug Transaction In L.I. Crash

NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- Police on Long Island revealed more details about a Saturday morning crash that killed two people.

Just before 8:30 a.m., a car heading south on Straight Path, was pursued by police after running a stop sign in Wyandanch.  At a news conference Saturday evening, police said the driver was able to evade police for about 2 miles before losing control of the 2003 Toyota Camry and crashing.

The car flipped and burned near 11th Street -- killing the driver and passenger. Kathleen Maloney of 1010 WINS reported the car hit a tree, mini-van and shed next to Michelle Wynn's property.

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1010 WINS' Kathleen Maloney reports

"It hit the big tree right there and then the car flipped," the woman said describing the scene to Maloney, "and then it land over my van."

The men who died have been identified as 36-year-old Rocco Coscia, of Massapequa, and 42-year-old Michael Griffin, of Wyandanch. Coscia was the driver, police said.

Both men had extensive criminal histories, according to authorities.

Police also said narcotics were involved and that Coscia threw cocaine out of the window, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported.

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WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reports

"There's an indication that it was actually a drug transaction involved," Suffolk County Police Lt. Robert Edwards said,  "they deposited drugs outside the window of the car."

The crash could have been much worse because of the high volume of traffic on the usually busy stretch of road.

There were no injuries to any of the police officers.

Deadly West Babylon Crash
(Photo/Kathleen Maloney)
Deadly West Babylon Crash
A tow truck moves the vehicle invovled in the Long Island crash (Photo/Kathleen Maloney)
Deadly West Babylon Crash
(Photo/Kathleen Maloney)
Deadly West Babylon Crash
(Photo/Kathleen Maloney)
Deadly West Babylon Crash
Damage at a homeowner's shed resulting from the deadly West Babylon crash. (Photo/Kathleen Maloney)
Deadly West Babylon Crash
The scene of the crash on Straight Path in West Babylon. (Photo/Kathleen Maloney, 1010 WINS)
West Babylon Investigation
Police keep drivers, pedestrians and media at a distance during the crash investigation. (Photo/Glenn Schuck, 1010 WINS)
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