A 20-year-old Copiague man was left with serious injuries Tuesday after losing control of his motorcycle on Montauk Highway and slamming into a curb and a telephone pole, according to police. Jonathan Villalobos-Rossell was driving a 2026 Kawasaki eastbound near South Great Neck Road when the crash happened, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Suffolk Police First Squad detectives said Villalobos-Rossell was heading eastbound on Montauk Highway when he lost control of the motorcycle, left the roadway, and struck the curb and pole, according to News 12. He was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip for treatment of his injuries, police said.
Investigators impounded the Kawasaki for a safety check following the crash, per the same report. It's unclear what role, if any, mechanical issues played in the incident, and police have not released further details about what led Villalobos-Rossell to lose control of the bike.
Detectives Seeking Witnesses
Suffolk Police First Squad detectives are asking anyone with information about the crash to call 631-854-8152. No further updates on Villalobos-Rossell's condition have been released.
The crash adds to a string of recent roadway incidents in the area. Just months earlier, a 19-year-old riding a motorized scooter in Copiague, Albert Jose Rosario Duran, allegedly tried to evade police before crashing into an SUV and a telephone pole, according to LongIsland.com. That rider was also taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, though the two incidents are not known to be connected.
Montauk Highway itself has seen other recent collisions involving motorcycles. On Oct. 24, a car and a motorcycle collided on Montauk Highway in Mastic, with at least one person injured, as reported by localaccidentreports.com. The extent of that rider's injuries was not disclosed.
A Statewide Pattern of Motorcycle Crashes
Motorcycle crashes remain a persistent safety issue across New York. The state recorded 4,525 police-reported motorcycle fatal and personal-injury crashes in 2023, including 4,337 classified as personal-injury crashes, according to a fact sheet from itsmr.org. Those figures reflect statewide totals for 2023 and don't speak to the circumstances of this week's crash in Copiague.
No details have been released about whether speed, road conditions, or another factor contributed to Tuesday's crash. Suffolk police have not announced any charges in connection with the incident as the investigation continues.
