Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Diana Kutateladze, 36, of Oceanside, was arrested and charged with multiple felonies after allegedly causing a fatal multi-vehicle crash on the Southern State Parkway that killed two elderly passengers, according to New York State Police. The collision occurred on March 15 at approximately 10:13 p.m. on the Southern State Parkway westbound, west of exit 17S, in the Town of Hempstead.
According to the preliminary investigation, Kutateladze was operating a 2020 black Cadillac Escalade with one passenger when she allegedly sideswiped a gray BMW traveling in the left lane while heading westbound. Police say Kutateladze subsequently lost control of her vehicle, crossed the center median, and continued traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes, striking multiple vehicles in a devastating wrong-way collision sequence.
The Escalade then struck a 2016 black Toyota Highlander head-on, according to state police. Two passengers in the Toyota Highlander – Donald Maxwell, 82, and Liscent B. Maxwell, 88 – were pronounced dead at the scene. The crash involved a total of six vehicles and ten people, with responding troopers finding multiple vehicles disabled across the eastbound lanes upon their arrival.
Several other drivers and occupants involved in the multi-vehicle collision were transported to local hospitals for treatment, police report. One individual sustained critical injuries and remains hospitalized, while the remaining injuries sustained by other crash victims are considered non-life-threatening. The extent of injuries to Kutateladze and her passenger was not specified in the initial police report.
Preliminary investigations indicated that both speed and impairment were contributing factors to the fatal incident, according to state police. Following the crash investigation, Kutateladze was arrested and faces multiple serious charges including Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, a Class B Felony; Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree, a Class C Felony; Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class D Felony; Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D Felony; Driving While Intoxicated; and Reckless Driving.
The investigation remains ongoing, and New York State Police are seeking additional witnesses or video footage of the incident. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has relevant video footage is asked to contact Investigator Jeffrey Shillingford with the New York State Police at 212-814-9597.
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred on the Southern State Parkway westbound near exit 17S in Hempstead, a heavily traveled section of one of Long Island’s primary east-west corridors. Exit 17S provides access to Hempstead Turnpike and serves as a major interchange for commuters traveling between Nassau County communities and New York City.
This stretch of the Southern State Parkway has been the site of numerous traffic incidents, with 123 recorded incidents in traffic databases. Recent incidents on the parkway include overnight roadwork operations for crack sealing, as well as other serious crashes. Just days after this fatal collision, reports emerged of a woman accused in a deadly crash on the Southern State Parkway pleading not guilty, and additional coverage highlighted the ongoing dangers of the parkway with articles noting how this latest fatal crash exemplifies the parkway’s hazardous conditions.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The multiple felony charges filed against Kutateladze reflect the severity of the incident and the alleged role of impairment and excessive speed in causing the fatal wrong-way collision. The most serious charge, Aggravated Vehicular Homicide as a Class B Felony, carries significant potential prison time under New York State law and typically applies when a driver causes death while intoxicated and demonstrates particularly reckless behavior.
The combination of vehicular manslaughter charges in both the first and second degrees indicates prosecutors believe they have evidence supporting multiple legal theories for the deaths of Donald and Liscent Maxwell. The Assault in the Second Degree charge likely relates to the critical injuries sustained by another crash victim. State police continue their investigation into the exact sequence of events and are working to gather additional evidence, including potential witness testimony and video footage from the scene.
Broader Impact
The wrong-way collision highlights the particularly dangerous nature of median crossover crashes on Long Island’s parkway system, where divided highways can become scenes of devastating head-on collisions when vehicles lose control and cross into oncoming traffic. The involvement of impairment and speed as contributing factors in this fatal crash underscores the lethal combination these factors create, particularly on parkways with concrete medians that offer little forgiveness for driver error.