Suffolk police: 17-year-old motorcyclist killed in crash with truck in Babylon
Robert Buerkle was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip.
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A 17-year-old boy from West Babylon was killed Monday afternoon in a devastating motorcycle crash, marking yet another heartbreaking loss for the community.
Police say the teen, identified as Robert Buerkle, was riding a motorcycle when he was struck by a Chevy pickup truck around 3 p.m. at the intersection of West Main Street and Tappan Avenue in Babylon.
Buerkle was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Residents in the area described a somber scene as emergency crews responded to the crash. Many feared the worst when they saw the intense police and medical presence.
“It’s really unfortunate,” said Nancy Lee, a Babylon resident. “I hope it will spread awareness to this particular area so that kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”
The collision marks the second time in less than a year that the West Babylon community has mourned the loss of teenagers to fatal crashes. In September, two local teens were also killed in a separate traffic incident.
As of now, investigators have not determined what caused Tuesday’s crash. The driver of the pickup truck was not injured, and no charges have been filed.
