6 injured in fiery five-car crash that shut down Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge
Two of the five people suffered serious injuries, Suffolk County police said.
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Six people, including three children, were injured in a fiery five-vehicle car crash that shut down part of Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge on Tuesday evening.
Suffolk County police said Glendale resident John Heenan, 60, was driving a 2025 Mazda CX30 eastbound in the left lane when he struck a line of four vehicles, all waiting to make a left turn onto the northbound side of Ledgewood Drive just before 6 p.m.
The Mazda struck the back of a 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander, causing it to strike the car in front of that, a 2025 Tesla Model 3, which then hit the back of a 2020 Toyota Camry, which then hit the back of another car, a 2023 Mazda CX5.
Heenan's car caught fire, which spread to the Tesla, investigators said.
The Smithtown Fire Department rushed to the scene to extinguish both cars.
Six people were injured, according to police.
Five were driven to Stony Brook University Hospital and one was taken by Suffolk County Police Helicopter.
Heenan suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Mitsubishi, Erin Applebaum, 43, of Hauppauge, also suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries. She had two daughters in the car, 9 and 12, who had non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Tesla, Michelle Lewis, 43, of Hauppauge, and her son, 8, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Toyota, Ahad Idris, 31, of Smithtown, and the driver of the last car hit, Ann Denning, 39, of Smithtown, were not injured.
All five cars were impounded for safety checks.
The crash shut down Veterans Memorial Highway for about four hours, from rush hour until just before 10 p.m.
Suffolk County police said there's no criminality suspected at this time, but the investigation is ongoing.
Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact the Suffolk County Police Department's Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.
