Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 14-year-old Miller Place boy suffered life-threatening injuries Tuesday afternoon when his bicycle collided with a truck on Route 25A and the vehicle’s rear tires ran over him, according to Suffolk police. Andrew Salgado was riding his bicycle eastbound on the shoulder around 3:20 p.m. when he struck the passenger side door of a westbound Ford F-550 XL Super Duty truck that was making a left turn into L Delea & Sons Sod Farms in Miller Place, police said.
The devastating collision occurred when the truck, driven by Timothy McLaughlin, 58, of Sound Beach, was turning left across traffic into the commercial sod farm property. According to police reports, Salgado was traveling in the opposite direction on the eastbound shoulder of Route 25A when the impact occurred with the truck’s passenger side door.
During the collision, Salgado fell from his bicycle and became trapped under the large commercial vehicle. The truck’s rear passenger-side tires rolled over the teenager, causing severe injuries that left him in critical condition, police said. The Ford F-550 XL Super Duty is a heavy-duty commercial truck commonly used for construction and landscaping work, significantly larger and heavier than standard passenger vehicles.
McLaughlin immediately stopped his vehicle following the collision and called 911 to report the accident, according to police. The Sound Beach resident was not injured in the crash and remained at the scene to cooperate with responding emergency personnel and investigators.
Salgado, who is a varsity soccer player at Miller Place High School, was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was listed in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. The severity of his injuries reflects the devastating impact of being struck and run over by the commercial truck’s rear tires.
Suffolk Police’s Sixth Squad has taken over the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. Investigators are working to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the collision between the eastbound bicycle and the westbound truck making the left turn. The investigation will likely examine factors such as visibility, speed, and the positioning of both the bicycle and truck at the time of impact.
Location & Road Context
The accident occurred on Route 25A in Miller Place, a busy east-west thoroughfare that serves as a major artery connecting communities across the North Shore of Long Island. The specific location was near L Delea & Sons Sod Farms, where McLaughlin was attempting to make a left turn from the westbound lanes into the commercial property.
Route 25A in this area experiences significant traffic volume throughout the day, with both commercial and passenger vehicles traveling between the various North Shore communities. The road serves numerous businesses and residential areas, making left turns across traffic a common but potentially hazardous maneuver, particularly when cyclists are present on the roadway shoulders.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Suffolk Police’s Sixth Squad continues to investigate all aspects of the collision, including the circumstances that led to the bicycle striking the truck’s passenger door during the left turn maneuver. Investigators have not released any information regarding potential charges or citations related to the crash.
Anyone with information about the accident is being asked to contact Suffolk Police’s Sixth Squad at 631.854.8652. Police are likely seeking any witnesses who may have observed the collision or the moments leading up to it, as witness testimony could prove crucial in determining the exact cause and sequence of events.
Broader Impact
This collision highlights the particular dangers faced by cyclists when large commercial vehicles make turning movements across traffic lanes. The Ford F-550 XL Super Duty involved in this crash represents the type of heavy-duty commercial truck that has significant blind spots and requires greater stopping distances, making interactions with cyclists especially hazardous. The fact that Salgado was riding on the shoulder when the collision occurred during McLaughlin’s left turn maneuver underscores the complex dynamics involved when cyclists and commercial vehicles share roadway space, particularly at locations where vehicles are crossing traffic lanes to access business properties along busy corridors like Route 25A.