Police

Truck tips over, dumps sand in Riverhead during Saturday accident

Update (3:20 p.m.): Route 25, which was closed in both directions from the County Road 58 intersection to County Road 105 in Riverhead most of the day while an accident involving a dump truck that spilled sand on the road was cleaned up, has been reopened.

 

Riverhead police have offered more information on the accident involving a dump truck that ended up on its side following a crash at Route 25 and County Road 105 Saturday morning.

According to police, Robert Stanga of Islip was driving the 1996 Mack dump truck, when he tried to turn west on to Route 25 from County Road 105 when it tipped over and struck a 2008, Nissan Pathfinder that was stopped at the traffic light on Route 25.

Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps took both Mr. Stanga and Juan Vargas Perez of Riverhead, who was behind the wheel of the Nissan, were both taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, where an active shooter drill was underway.

Suffolk County Motor Carrier responded to conduct a safety inspection, along with New York State Department of Transportation, and New York State Police Department.

Update (12:40 p.m.): The Riverhead Police Department said Route 25 will be closed in both directions from the Route 25 and County Road 58 intersection to County Road 105 in Riverhead while an earlier accident involving a dump truck that spilled sand on the road is cleaned up. The road will be closed for about an hour to hour and a half.

 

The public will be notified once it is reopened.

Originally (10:54 a.m.): A portion of Route 25, between Doctor’s Path and County Road 105, in Riverhead was still closed nearly two hours after an accident occurred Saturday morning.

The Riverhead Fire Department’s heavy rescue squad was called, but the dump truck driver got out on his own, according to Fire Chief Kevin Brooks.

The drivers of both vehicles were taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center, but their injuries were not considered serious, police said.

The road was initially closed in both directions between Doctor’s Path and County Road 105, but later it was reopened to westbound traffic, while crews continued to clean up the accident in the eastbound lane.

Top photo: The eastbound lane of Route 25 remained closed as crews cleaned up after the accident. (Credit: Cyndi Murray)

Sand spilled out out of a dump truck following an accident in Riverhead Saturday morning. (Credit: Cyndi Murray)