Southampton man killed on Route 24 after losing control on icy roads
A Southampton man was killed early Thursday morning in a single-car accident after he apparently lost control of his vehicle in Hampton Bays and crashed into a tree, Southampton police said.
The driver, Matthew Williams, 29, of the Shinnecock Indian Reservation was driving a red 1999 Ford Mustang on Route 24 — just east of the Red Creek and Hampton Bays border — about 1:50 a.m. when he crashed off the road into a tree, police said.
The Hampton Bays Fire Department and Hampton Bays ambulance volunteers responded to the scene and used heavy rescue equipment to try to free Mr. Williams, who was trapped in the vehicle and was suffering from “critical injuries,” police said.
During the rescue, Mr. Williams lost consciousness and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
No other passengers were in the vehicle at the time of the crash, police said.
An initial investigation found Mr. Williams crashed because of icy road conditions and poor weather due to the nor’easter that struck last night.
Flanders Road was closed early Thursday morning as police investigated.
Mr. Williams was a member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation and was beloved for his sense of humor.
“He was a wonderful young man and he was one of the funniest people I have ever known,” said Beverly Jensen, director of communications for the Shinnecock Indian Nation. “It’s a tragedy for the whole community. We’re going to miss him, he brought a lot of sunshine to a lot of people.”
Two other people have been hospitalized for injuries in crashes caused of dangerous road conditions. In the first incident, a three-car accident on Route 58 in Riverhead Wednesday afternoon sent a woman to the hospital; Thursday morning, a man was hospitalized after the SUV he was driving overturned in Calverton.
Both victims suffered non life-threatening injuries in the crashes.
