Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Fourteen-year-old Andrew Salgado, a Miller Place eighth-grade student and varsity soccer player, suffered multiple broken bones and brain damage when his bicycle struck a turning Ford F-550 truck on Route 25A last Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. The crash occurred at approximately 3:20 p.m. as Salgado was riding east on the shoulder of Route 25A when the truck attempted to turn into L Delea & Sons Sod Farms, according to police reports.
The driver of the Ford F-550, identified as a 58-year-old Sound Beach man, remained at the scene following the collision and called 911, authorities confirmed. Salgado was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he remains hospitalized with critical injuries sustained in the crash.
The severity of the teen’s injuries has mobilized the Long Island community in an unprecedented show of support. A GoFundMe campaign launched to help Andrew and his family has surged past $93,000, drawing more than 1,300 donations as of Monday night, according to the fundraising platform. The online effort reflects the widespread concern for the young athlete’s recovery and the financial burden facing his family during this difficult time.
Adding to the digital fundraising efforts, local business owner Joe Lavieri organized an in-person fundraiser that drew massive community support over the weekend. Lavieri’s Pizza on Wheels hosted a Sunday pop-up event at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai that raised $6,517 for the Salgado family, with supporters waiting in lines stretching through the park for over an hour to contribute to the cause.
“All I can say is—WOW. What an amazing community,” Lavieri wrote in a Facebook post following the event. “We are beyond grateful. Some of you stood in line for over an hour for Andrew, which says so much about the kind of people you are. Others stopped by just to offer support, kind words, and even donations without asking for anything in return.”
The pizza fundraiser required coordination with multiple local businesses and organizations to accommodate the overwhelming response. Lavieri thanked Heritage Park for hosting the event and acknowledged several local businesses that helped make the fundraiser possible, including Kat and Hannah Glen, Casa Piazza, DiCarlo Foods, and Breakin Bread. “Because of all of you—this incredible community—we were able to raise $6,517 for Andrew and his family,” Lavieri’s post read, highlighting the collaborative effort that made the successful fundraiser possible.
Location & Road Context
The collision occurred on Route 25A near L Delea & Sons Sod Farms, a stretch of roadway that serves as a major east-west arterial through Suffolk County’s North Shore communities. This section of Route 25A connects Miller Place, Mount Sinai, and surrounding areas, carrying both local traffic and commercial vehicles serving the numerous businesses along the corridor.
According to Long Island Traffic database records, this road has 19 recorded incidents, with recent activity including multiple construction and roadwork projects that have impacted traffic patterns in the area. The presence of commercial establishments like the sod farm creates frequent turning movements along this corridor, where vehicles must cross bicycle and pedestrian traffic on the shoulder areas.
Broader Impact
The accident highlights the vulnerability of cyclists sharing roadway space with commercial vehicles on Route 25A, particularly during afternoon hours when both school dismissal and business operations create peak activity. The overwhelming community response, combining digital fundraising with grassroots efforts like the pizza fundraiser, demonstrates how local businesses and residents mobilize to support families facing medical crises following serious traffic accidents. The coordination between Lavieri’s Pizza on Wheels, Heritage Park, and multiple supporting businesses created a template for community-driven emergency assistance that generated meaningful financial support during the family’s most critical time of need.