Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Diana Kutateladze, 37, of Oceanside was driving a 2020 Cadillac Escalade westbound on the Southern State Parkway in Malverne at 70 mph on Sunday at approximately 10:13 p.m. when she struck another vehicle, causing her to lose control and jump the median guardrail into oncoming eastbound traffic, according to felony complaints filed by state police. Kutateladze’s husband Teimurazi, known as Temo, was a passenger in the Escalade when the crash occurred. The collision ultimately killed two people and injured eight others across six vehicles.
After crossing into oncoming traffic, Kutateladze’s Escalade struck several eastbound vehicles before slamming head-on into a 2016 Toyota Highlander near Exit 17S, prosecutors say. The impact killed both occupants of the Toyota: Donald Maxwell, 82, a local church pastor, and his wife Liscent Maxwell, 88, both of Westbury, according to authorities. The Maxwells were longtime leaders of the Pentecostal City Mission Church in Far Rockaway and had been returning home from a church event at the time of the crash, friends and parishioners said on social media.
State police troopers at the scene noted a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside Kutateladze’s vehicle and from her breath, according to the criminal complaint filed by state police investigator Jeffrey Shillingford. Kutateladze, who suffered facial trauma in the crash, was transported to Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital where she allegedly told authorities that she “consumed alcohol in the form of a mixed beverage, whiskey and coke” before getting behind the wheel. A preliminary breath test administered at the hospital at approximately 11:34 p.m. yielded a blood alcohol content of .10 percent, above the legal limit of .08 percent, Shillingford attests in court documents. She later allegedly consented to a blood draw.
The crash resulted in severe injuries to multiple victims beyond the fatalities. Victor Wilson, the driver of the Toyota Highlander, suffered a broken left arm and wrist and a broken right pelvis, all requiring surgery, according to the criminal complaint. Kutateladze’s husband Teimurazi sustained extensive injuries including a C1 cervical spine fracture, an internal brain bleed, femur fractures in both legs, broken ribs and lacerations—all requiring surgery. He remains in critical condition following the crash. In total, six vehicles and 10 people were involved in the multi-car collision.
Kutateladze appeared in Nassau County District Court on Tuesday in a wheelchair, where she pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges including aggravated vehicular homicide, first- and second-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree assault, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. She is being held without bail. The couple has three young children: twin boys, age 6, and a 4-year-old girl, who were not involved in the crash.
According to her social media profiles, Diana Kutateladze identified herself as a DOJ-accredited immigration attorney representing a firm called Kutateli Legal Aid Group. In a 2023 Facebook post, she described herself as having a decade of experience in immigration law, Greater Long Island reports.
Location & Road Context
The fatal collision occurred on the Southern State Parkway near Exit 17S in Malverne, a heavily traveled stretch of the parkway that connects multiple Long Island communities. The Southern State Parkway serves as a major east-west corridor across Nassau and Suffolk counties, carrying thousands of commuters and residents daily between various suburban communities and toward New York City.
Exit 17S provides access to Hempstead Avenue and serves the Malverne and West Hempstead areas. The section where the crash occurred features a median guardrail designed to separate opposing traffic lanes, which Kutateladze’s vehicle was able to breach after the initial collision sent her SUV out of control.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Kutateladze was arraigned on Tuesday in Nassau County District Court on the multiple felony charges stemming from the crash. The most serious charge, aggravated vehicular homicide, carries potential penalties of 8⅓ to 25 years in prison under New York law. She also faces charges of first- and second-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree assault, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
The defendant is being held without bail as the case proceeds through the court system. State police continue their investigation into the crash, with investigator Jeffrey Shillingford filing the detailed criminal complaint that outlines the sequence of events and evidence collected at the scene and hospital. The blood sample taken from Kutateladze will likely undergo additional testing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Broader Impact
The crash highlights the devastating consequences of impaired driving on Long Island’s busy parkway system, where high speeds and heavy traffic volumes can turn a moment of poor judgment into a multi-vehicle tragedy. Under New York law, aggravated vehicular homicide—the top charge Kutateladze faces—applies when a driver causes a death while intoxicated and either has a previous DWI conviction within the past 10 years or causes multiple deaths, making this among the most serious motor vehicle-related charges in the state’s criminal code.