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Update: 85-year-old woman dies following Riverhead crash

BETH YOUNG PHOTO | A fatal three-car crash on Sound Avenue had the road partially closed Sunday.

An 85-year-old Middle Island woman died and another woman was critically injured in a three-car crash on Sound Avenue in Riverhead Sunday, town police said.

Vita Avignone was driving a Mercury Sable west on Sound Avenue near Roanoke Avenue just after noon when she sideswiped a 2011 GMC Acadia traveling in the eastbound lane, police said. Ms. Avignone’s car then collided head-on with a 2005 Subaru Outback, which was also traveling eastbound.
Ms. Avignone was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center, where she died, Riverhead police said.

Theodore Kucin, 60, of Riverhead, who was driving the Subaru, was also taken to PBMC where he was in stable condition and expected to be released later this week. His passenger, Linda Kucin, was transported via police helicopter to Stony Brook University Medical Center where she remained in critical condition Tuesday, hospital spokespeople said.

Three passengers in the GMC were not injured.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact police at 727-4500, ext. 328.