Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Diana Kutateladze, a 36-year-old Oceanside woman, pleaded not guilty Friday to vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges stemming from a March 15 DWI crash on the Southern State Parkway that killed two Pentecostal pastors and injured multiple other drivers, according to Nassau County prosecutors. The incident occurred just after 10:15 p.m. when Kutateladze was traveling westbound on the Southern State Parkway near Exit 17S while driving 81 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone with her husband in the passenger seat.
Prosecutors said Kutateladze’s Cadillac Escalade sideswiped a BMW before jumping the parkway median and crossing into oncoming traffic, where it struck a 2016 Toyota Highlander head-on. The collision killed Donald Maxwell, 82, and Barbara Maxwell, 88, both Pentecostal pastors who were passengers in the Highlander. Both victims were killed instantly when the passenger side of their vehicle was crushed on impact, according to the district attorney’s office. The initial crash triggered a five-car pileup after three additional vehicles crashed into the wreckage.
Blood drawn from Kutateladze approximately one hour after the crash revealed a blood alcohol content of .15 percent, almost twice the legal limit of .08 percent, prosecutors said. The 71-year-old man driving the Highlander sustained serious injuries including a compound fracture in his hand, significant heart injury and multiple fractured ribs. Kutateladze’s husband was trapped in the passenger seat of the Escalade and had to be extricated by first responders before being rushed to Mount Sinai South Nassau, where he was placed on a ventilator.
More than a month after the crash, Kutateladze’s husband remains hospitalized with broken bones and head trauma that resulted in a brain bleed, prosecutors said. The drivers of the three other vehicles involved in the pileup suffered various injuries including whiplash, back pain and trauma that could require surgery. Police shut down the Southern State Parkway for multiple hours while emergency crews worked to extract victims from vehicles and clear debris from the roadway.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said during Friday’s proceedings: “A husband and wife who spent their lives serving the community are dead because this defendant allegedly drove drunk instead of just staying home. Diana Kutateladze was allegedly driving more than 80 miles per hour while intoxicated when she crashed into one car, crossed into oncoming traffic, and crashed head-on into the victims’ vehicle. Her actions turned a quiet Sunday evening into a scene of absolute chaos, resulting in a horrific five-car pileup. My office is committed to seeking justice for the Maxwells and we will work to hold the defendant fully accountable for the lives she destroyed.”
Kutateladze was treated for minor injuries at Nassau University Medical Center following the crash. She was arrested on March 16, one day after the incident occurred. Patch attempted to reach Kutateladze’s attorney, Taryn Schechter, for comment Friday but was unsuccessful.
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred on the Southern State Parkway near Exit 17S in the westbound lanes, a stretch of highway that runs through Nassau County connecting multiple Long Island communities. The Southern State Parkway is a major east-west thoroughfare that carries thousands of commuters daily between Suffolk and Nassau counties and serves as a critical link to New York City. Exit 17S provides access to Malverne and surrounding areas, making it a heavily traveled section of the parkway, particularly during evening hours when the crash occurred.
The area where the collision took place features a median divider between eastbound and westbound traffic lanes. The fact that Kutateladze’s vehicle was able to cross this median and enter oncoming traffic highlights the severity of the initial impact and the speed at which she was traveling when the Escalade struck the BMW and subsequently became airborne.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Kutateladze faces a comprehensive list of charges including two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, one count of first-degree vehicular manslaughter, two counts of second-degree manslaughter, one count of aggravated vehicle assault, two counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter, one count of first-degree vehicular assault, two counts of second-degree vehicular assault, four counts of second-degree assault, one count of DWI Per Se, five counts of third-degree assault, DWI and reckless driving. If convicted on all charges, prosecutors said she could face up to 25 years in prison.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges during her Friday court appearance in Mineola. Her next court date is scheduled for May 20, according to prosecutors. The case represents one of the most serious vehicular homicide prosecutions in Nassau County this year, given the multiple fatalities and extensive injuries sustained by survivors.
Broader Impact
The deaths of Donald and Barbara Maxwell have deeply affected the Long Island Pentecostal community, where both served as pastors and were described by prosecutors as individuals “who spent their lives serving the community.” The severity of charges filed against Kutateladze, including aggravated vehicular homicide, reflects New York State’s enhanced penalties for DWI-related fatalities, particularly when aggravating factors such as excessive speed and high blood alcohol content are present. The case underscores the devastating consequences that can result when impaired driving is combined with excessive speed on Long Island’s busy parkway system.