A 79-year-old Central Islip woman was seriously injured Sunday morning after a Jeep Wrangler turning onto Suffolk Avenue struck her, according to police. The crash happened at about 7:35 a.m. at the intersection of Hawthorne Avenue and East Suffolk Avenue, a stretch of road that has seen repeated pedestrian crashes in recent years.
Police identified the driver as Carlos Vicente, 53, of Central Islip, who was driving a 2021 Jeep Wrangler south on Hawthorne Avenue when he turned left onto Suffolk Avenue and struck the woman, according to dailyvoice.com. The woman was taken to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore with serious injuries, the outlet reported. Vicente was not injured, and police impounded the Jeep for a safety check.
Suffolk County Police Third Squad detectives are investigating the crash, according to Long Island Life & Politics, and are asking anyone with information to call them at 631-854-8352.
A Dangerous Stretch of Road
Sunday's crash is not the first serious pedestrian incident at that same corner. In 2022, a hit-and-run at the intersection of Hawthorne and Suffolk avenues left two pedestrians hurt, according to Newsday, which identified the victims as Nasheem Beck, 25, and Gina Ross, 34, both of Central Islip.
Hawthorne Avenue itself has also been the site of a fatal hit-and-run. A driver struck 35-year-old Terrance Tuffini of Central Islip on Hawthorne Avenue near Storey Avenue and fled the scene, after which Tuffini was struck by two additional vehicles, per Patch. He was taken to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, where he was pronounced dead; the drivers of the Toyota and Dodge involved were not injured, and no arrests had been made as of that report.
Other Recent Crashes Nearby
Central Islip has logged other serious pedestrian crashes beyond that intersection. A 2015 Toyota RAV4 traveling south on Connetquot Avenue struck a man crossing between Palermo and Atlantic streets in February 2025, Newsday reported, and the pedestrian was also taken to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore for treatment of serious injuries.
In a separate hit-and-run, Hillary Day, 66, of Central Islip, was struck while walking on the westbound shoulder near 31 W. Suffolk Ave., according to TBR News Media. The vehicle was believed to be a gold-colored sedan that did not stop, and Day was transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore for treatment of serious injuries.
State health officials track pedestrian crash factors for Suffolk County, including speed, distracted driving and failure to yield, though current county-wide totals were not available in the data reviewed, per the New York State Department of Health. A separate state factsheet covering 2011 through 2015 found pedestrian error or confusion, failure to yield right of way and driver inattention among the top contributing factors in fatal and injury pedestrian crashes countywide, according to New York State.
No information has been released on what caused Sunday's crash or whether any charges are expected. Third Squad detectives are continuing to ask anyone who witnessed the collision or has related information to come forward.
