Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Diana Kutateladze, 36, of Oceanside, was arrested for allegedly driving drunk and causing a multi-vehicle crash that killed two people on the Southern State Parkway in Nassau County on Sunday night, according to police. The fatal collision occurred around 10:15 p.m. on March 15, 2026, when Kutateladze lost control of her vehicle while traveling westbound on the parkway with a passenger.
Police say Kutateladze initially sideswiped a gray BMW before crossing the center median and continuing to travel westbound in the eastbound lanes of the Southern State Parkway. Authorities report that she then struck several more vehicles while driving against traffic before colliding head-on with a 2016 black Toyota Highlander.
The two occupants of the Toyota Highlander, identified as 82-year-old Donald Maxwell and 88-year-old Liscent Maxwell, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The victims’ relationship to each other was not specified in the initial report, though their shared surname suggests they may have been related.
The crash ultimately involved a total of six vehicles and 10 people, making it one of the most significant multi-vehicle accidents on the Southern State Parkway in recent months. Beyond the two fatalities, several other drivers and occupants involved in the collision were transported to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries.
Of those hospitalized, one individual sustained critical injuries and remains in serious condition, while the remaining victims suffered non-life threatening injuries, according to authorities. The extent and nature of the injuries sustained by Kutateladze’s passenger was not immediately disclosed by police.
Following the crash, Kutateladze was taken into custody and faces multiple serious charges related to the incident. She has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, second degree assault, driving while intoxicated, and reckless driving, according to prosecutors.
Location & Road Context
The fatal collision occurred on the Southern State Parkway in Nassau County, with the eastbound lanes at exit 15 bearing the brunt of the impact and subsequent road closure. The crash forced authorities to completely shut down the eastbound Southern State Parkway at exit 15 for seven hours, with the roadway finally reopening just after 5 a.m. on Monday morning.
This stretch of the Southern State Parkway has been the site of numerous incidents, with 123 recorded incidents in traffic databases. Recent activity on this roadway has included multiple overnight roadwork projects involving crack sealing operations. The parkway has also been the location of other serious crashes, including another deadly incident that prompted court proceedings just days after this collision, with a separate case involving a woman pleading not guilty to charges stemming from a previous fatal crash on March 22, 2026.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The New York State Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the multi-vehicle crash and are actively seeking additional witnesses and evidence. Authorities are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or captured video footage of the incident to contact the New York State Police to assist with the ongoing investigation.
The serious nature of the charges against Kutateladze reflects the severity of the incident and the multiple fatalities involved. The aggravated vehicular homicide charge represents one of the most serious traffic-related offenses in New York State, typically reserved for cases involving impaired driving that results in death. The multiple vehicular manslaughter charges in both the first and second degrees indicate that prosecutors believe they have evidence to support various levels of culpability in the deaths of the Maxwell victims.
Broader Impact
The seven-hour closure of a major section of the eastbound Southern State Parkway during the overnight hours into Monday morning created significant traffic disruptions for commuters and emergency responders in Nassau County. The extended closure time reflects the complexity of the crash scene investigation, which required thorough documentation and evidence collection across multiple vehicle positions and the extensive debris field created by the six-vehicle collision sequence.