A June evening on the Southern State Parkway turned tragic when a suspected drunk driver triggered a six-vehicle crash that killed two people and injured several others. New York State Police reported that the collision occurred around 10:15 p.m. near Exit 17S in Hempstead, on Long Island, shutting down the highway for hours.
According to the preliminary investigation, a 36-year-old driver from Oceanside was allegedly drunk and speeding when she lost control of her Cadillac Escalade after sideswiping a BMW in the left lane. Her SUV crossed the center median and struck oncoming traffic, hitting a Toyota Highlander head-on. Donald Maxwell, 82, and Liscent B. Maxwell, 88, who were riding in the Highlander, were pronounced dead at the scene. Ten people and six vehicles were involved in the wreck, and at least one other person was left in critical condition.
The driver was hospitalized and now faces charges that include aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, and driving while intoxicated. State police have asked anyone with video or information about the crash to come forward while the investigation continues.
The deaths of the Maxwells, both in their 80s, have left their family reeling. But beyond the criminal case, survivors may have a separate path to recovery. As Kantrowitz, Goldhamer & Graifman notes, a criminal case is about punishment and does nothing to repay the family for what they lost. A separate civil claim is how survivors recover money for funeral costs, medical bills, lost income, and the loss of a loved one.
The two cases run on different tracks, and the result of one does not decide the other. New York also allows added damages in some drunk driving cases because the conduct goes well beyond ordinary carelessness. In the days after a fatal wreck, evidence fades fast. Vehicle data, video, and witness accounts are strongest right away, and some of it can disappear if no one acts to save it. New York sets firm deadlines for injury and wrongful death cases, so families who wait too long can lose the right to recover at all.
Attorneys often help people hurt by drunk drivers on local roads gather that proof before it is gone, and they handle the insurance calls so families can focus on their loved ones. With more than 50 years serving Rockland County from its New City office, Kantrowitz, Goldhamer & Graifman has recovered over $500 million for clients in injury and accident cases. Founding attorney Barry S. Kantrowitz holds an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating, the highest mark for legal skill and ethics.
When a family loses someone in a crash, the firm reviews police reports, scene evidence, and medical records, then builds a clear case for who should answer for it. If the loss came from another driver’s negligence, families may have grounds to file a wrongful death claim. The implications of this crash extend beyond the criminal charges: they underscore the importance of timely legal action to preserve evidence and secure compensation for grieving families.
