Police: 2 Arrested In Deadly Multi-Vehicle Crash On Long Island
NORTH LAWRENCE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police say two people have been arrested in connection with a crash on Long Island that left two people dead and five others hurt.
Police were inspecting a burned-out car Wednesday morning, one of five vehicles involved in the crash, which happened around 2 a.m. on the Nassau Expressway near Burnside Avenue in North Lawrence.
The passengers were trapped inside as the car was engulfed in flames. Five others were seriously hurt and rushed to local hospitals.
Police said two people have also been arrested.
"We have two under arrest right now for the possibility of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs," said Nassau County Det. Lt. Richard LeBrun. "At this point, they will be interviewed and we will conclude from there."
LeBrun said the two were in two separate vehicles. They were later charged with DWI pending final results of tests, CBS2's Natalie Duddridge reported.
But how the chain-reaction crash unfolded remains unclear.
"We do believe that they were traveling in different directions," LeBrun said. "Again, the debris field is over 800 feet long, which is problematic."
Dense fog also covered the area throughout the morning and investigators say visibility may have played a role in the crash.
The identities of the two people who were killed have not yet been released.
Nassau County police are handling the scene with assistance from the NYPD. Nassau Expressway remains closed in both directions from Burnside Avenue to Bay Boulevard.
