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Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 50-year-old livery driver from Ecuador was killed in a crash with a tractor-trailer on the westbound Long Island Expressway near the Van Wyck Expressway exit in Queens at approximately 4:30 a.m. on February 6, according to police sources. The fatal collision may have been caused by snow and ice that was improperly cleared by a New York City Department of Sanitation worker from the highway shoulder into the right travel lane less than two hours before the crash, police and city government sources told the New York Daily News.
The deadly sequence began when the livery driver lost control of his Toyota Camry in the 50-mph zone, skidded out and crashed into the center median before his vehicle came to rest back in the right lane with the Camry positioned perpendicular to oncoming traffic, police said. Moments later, a tractor-trailer operated by a 52-year-old driver who had been swerving to avoid hitting another vehicle slammed into the passenger side of the Camry. The impact caused severe head and body trauma to the livery driver, who was rushed by emergency medical personnel to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Queens but could not be saved, according to authorities.
NYPD investigators subsequently notified Department of Sanitation officials about the dangerous road conditions after determining that a city Sanitation vehicle operator had pushed snow and ice from the shoulder into the right lane, creating hazardous conditions that had already caused at least one other fender bender before the fatal crash, sources said. According to the sources, sanitation workers typically move some snow and ice into traffic lanes on local streets to break it up and allow it to melt, but those snow-clearing protocols are strictly prohibited on highways where drivers operate at much higher speeds.
The tractor-trailer driver suffered only minor injuries in the collision and was not charged or issued any traffic summonses, police reported. A relative of the deceased driver happened upon the crash scene, realized what had occurred, and specifically asked police officers why there was so much snow accumulated in the right lane, according to a law enforcement source. This inquiry helped draw attention to the improper snow clearing that may have contributed to the fatal crash.
“If that is true, then this was not just negligence — it was reckless failure that created dangerous conditions on a major expressway,” said Fernando Mateo, head of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, whose advocacy group has been in contact with the family about what was witnessed. “This tragedy could have been prevented. The [federation] will not back down until there is full transparency, responsibility and justice.”
The livery driver, who hailed from Ecuador but spent most of his adult life in the United States, leaves behind two sons, according to a family member. “He was a good man. We’re very affected by this. He was a caring father, brother and uncle,” the family member said. The livery driver was working the overnight shift when he was killed and enjoyed watching history documentaries in his free time, relatives said. Although he did not have a passenger in his vehicle at the time of the crash, his family confirmed he was actively working as a livery driver when the collision occurred.
“This is Sanitation’s fault,” a family member told the Daily News. “There should be compensation for our family. This could have been prevented.” A relative described the driver as “a hardworking conscientious family man” while acknowledging that “there’s an investigation going on. It’s an active investigation.”
Location & Road Context
The fatal crash occurred on the westbound Long Island Expressway near the exit to the Van Wyck Expressway in Queens, one of the most heavily traveled highway interchanges in the New York metropolitan area. This section of I-495 has recorded 136 incidents in Long Island Traffic’s database, with recent incidents including multiple construction projects and road maintenance activities on the expressway.
The collision happened during the early morning hours when traffic is typically lighter, but the 50-mph speed zone where the crash occurred still poses significant dangers when hazardous road conditions exist. The proximity to the Van Wyck Expressway interchange makes this stretch particularly challenging for drivers navigating lane changes and varying traffic patterns from merging vehicles.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The NYPD has launched a comprehensive investigation into the fatal collision, with investigators specifically examining the role that improper snow removal may have played in causing the crash. Police sources indicate that the investigation will focus on whether Department of Sanitation protocols were violated when snow and ice were moved from the highway shoulder into an active travel lane.
“There is an NYPD investigation underway, as there always is after a fatal vehicle collision, and we won’t be commenting until that investigation concludes,” said Sam Raskin, a spokesman for the mayor. Vincent Gragnani, a Department of Sanitation spokesman, confirmed that the agency is responsible for clearing snow and ice from all city highways but declined to comment specifically on this incident while the investigation remains active.
Broader Impact
The fatal crash has intensified scrutiny of the city’s snow removal practices following widespread criticism of inadequate snow clearing during the cold snap that followed a January 25 storm that dumped up to a foot of snow across the city. Sanitation officials are scheduled to face questioning at a City Council hearing on Monday, February 24, where the department’s snow removal protocols and this specific incident are expected to be addressed. The case highlights the critical differences between snow clearing procedures that may be acceptable on local streets versus the much more stringent safety requirements needed for high-speed highway operations.