Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Diana Kutateladze of Oceanside was arraigned on Thursday, April 24, on charges stemming from a devastating wrong-way crash on March 15 that killed two pastors and injured several others on the Southern State Parkway in Malverne, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced. The six-car collision occurred when Kutateladze was allegedly driving her 2020 Cadillac Escalade westbound at 81 miles per hour—26 mph over the parkway’s 55 mph speed limit—according to the vehicle’s crash data recorder, prosecutors say.
The fatal sequence began when Kutateladze allegedly sideswiped a BMW near exit 17S while traveling at high speed with her husband in the front passenger seat, according to the DA. After crossing in front of the BMW, Kutateladze’s Escalade jumped over the center guardrail into oncoming traffic in the eastbound lanes, where it crashed head-on into a 2016 Toyota Highlander, prosecutors say. The Highlander was carrying 82-year-old Donald Maxwell in the front passenger seat and 88-year-old Liscent “Barbara” Maxwell in the rear passenger side seat, both of whom were killed instantly when the passenger side was crushed on impact, Donnelly said.
The Maxwells were pastors at the Pentecostal City Mission Church in Far Rockaway, according to prosecutors. The 71-year-old driver of the Highlander sustained serious injuries including fractured ribs and a compound fracture of his hand that required surgery and the insertion of metal hardware, the DA said. He also suffered a significant heart injury that requires ongoing treatment and monitoring, according to prosecutors.
Kutateladze’s husband was critically injured during the crash and was trapped in the passenger seat of their Escalade, prosecutors say. First responders extricated him from the car and transported him to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator to survive and remains hospitalized, according to the DA. Blood drawn from Kutateladze at the hospital approximately one hour after the crash revealed a blood alcohol concentration of allegedly 0.15%—nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08%, prosecutors say.
The head-on collision triggered a chain reaction that caused a five-car pile-up, where three additional vehicles crashed into the wreckage, leaving those drivers with varying injuries, according to the DA. The massive collision shut down part of the Southern State Parkway for several hours as emergency crews worked to clear the scene and investigate the crash.
Kutateladze was indicted on two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, three counts of vehicular manslaughter, two counts of manslaughter, aggravated vehicle assault, three counts of vehicular assault, nine counts of assault, driving while intoxicated per se, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving, prosecutors announced. She pleaded not guilty to all charges and is scheduled to return to court on May 20, according to the DA’s office. If convicted on all charges, Kutateladze faces up to eight and one-third to 25 years in prison.
Location & Road Context
The crash occurred on the Southern State Parkway near exit 17S in Malverne, a heavily traveled stretch of highway that connects communities across Nassau and Suffolk counties. Exit 17S provides access to Hempstead Avenue and serves as a key interchange for commuters traveling between the Five Towns area and points east and west on Long Island. The Southern State Parkway carries tens of thousands of vehicles daily and has been the site of numerous serious accidents over the years, particularly in areas where the aging guardrail system separates opposing traffic lanes.
The section of parkway where the crash occurred features a center guardrail designed to prevent vehicles from crossing into oncoming traffic, but the barrier was unable to stop Kutateladze’s speeding Escalade from jumping into the eastbound lanes. The 55 mph speed limit on this stretch reflects the parkway’s original design from the 1920s and 1930s, when traffic volumes were significantly lower than today’s levels.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Nassau County prosecutors built their case around physical evidence including the vehicle’s crash data recorder, which showed Kutateladze was traveling 81 mph just five seconds before impact, and blood alcohol testing that revealed her BAC was 0.15% approximately one hour after the crash. The extensive list of charges reflects the severity of the incident and the multiple victims involved, with the most serious charges of aggravated vehicular homicide carrying potential sentences of up to 25 years in prison under New York state law.
The arraignment on April 24 marked a significant step in the legal proceedings, with Kutateladze entering a not guilty plea to all charges. Her next court appearance is scheduled for May 20, when prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to discuss pre-trial motions and potential plea negotiations. The case will likely involve extensive testimony from crash reconstruction experts, medical professionals who treated the victims, and first responders who worked at the scene.
Broader Impact
This crash highlights the devastating consequences of wrong-way driving incidents on Long Island’s aging parkway system, particularly when combined with excessive speed and alcohol impairment. Under New York law, aggravated vehicular homicide charges apply when a driver causes death while operating under the influence with a BAC of 0.18% or higher, or when the incident involves multiple deaths or serious injuries, making this one of the most serious DWI-related prosecutions possible under state statutes.