Suffolk police officer, woman and toddler injured in Shirley crash, police say
A Suffolk police officer in an unmarked car was involved in a crash at the intersection of Victory Avenue and River Road in Shirley with another vehicle that had a toddler inside, police said. Credit: Newsday/James Carbone
A Suffolk County police officer, a young mother and her toddler son all were taken to Stony Brook University Hospital following a serious Friday morning rush-hour crash in Shirley, police said.
Police said the crash occurred at about 8 a.m., when an on-duty male police sergeant driving an unmarked car collided with a 2026 Honda CR-V as he attempted to make a left turn from southbound River Road onto Victory Avenue.
The driver of the Honda, 25, of Shirley, and her son, 3, suffered unspecified minor injuries, police said. The sergeant, whose identity has not been released, had what police described as "serious but non-life-threatening injuries." He will be held overnight, police said.
The cause of the crash, which closed roads in the area for several hours, remains under investigation. Both vehicles were impounded for a safety check.
Online footage of the intersection shows a stop sign on River Road at the intersection, but no traffic control devices are visible on Victory Avenue, which parallels Sunrise Highway in the area. Signage shows the speed limit on Victory Avenue as 40 mph.
Police ask anyone with information regarding the crash to call Major Case Unit detectives at 631-852-6555.
More coverage: Every 7 minutes on average a traffic crash causing death, injury or significant property damage happens on Long Island. A Newsday investigation found that traffic crashes killed more than 2,100 people between 2014 and 2023 and seriously injured more than 16,000 people. To search for fatal crashes in your area, click here.
John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.
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