Family: Melville head-on crash victim in induced coma was longtime National Guard member
Nelson Gonzalez, 63, of Brentwood was critically injured in a head-on collision the day after Christmas.
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A man critically injured in what police called a DWI head-on crash in Melville last week has been identified by police as Nelson Gonzalez, of Brentwood.
According to police, Gonzalez, 63, was driving on Pinelawn Road at around 10 p.m. While making a left turn at a green light, he was struck head-on by John Ankelman, of Farmingdale.
Police arrested Ankelman, 59, at the scene and charged him with driving while intoxicated.
Gonzalez was taken to Plainview Hospital and later transferred to North Shore Community Hospital in Manhasset in critical condition.
News 12 spoke with Gonzalez's family on Tuesday who say he is still fighting for his life.
"He had died on the scene and the doctors revived him," his sister-in-law Mitsa Gonzalez said. "That's what the doctor told us. He's in a medically induced coma because he has swelling of the brain and they had to drill a hole to get that swelling down"
His family also said he spent 18 years in the National Guard.
