Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 38-year-old Huntington man is dead after his Ducati motorcycle collided with a Kia SUV and burst into flames in Melville on the evening of Friday, May 22, 2026, according to Dix Hills-Melville Daily Voice.
The victim, identified by police as Anees Khan, 38, of Huntington, was operating a Ducati motorcycle when he struck the right rear bumper of a Kia SUV, according to authorities. The impact caused Khan to lose control of the motorcycle and be thrown from the bike. The Ducati then caught fire following the crash — a detail that underscores the violent nature of the collision and complicated the immediate aftermath at the scene. As Daily Voice reported, Khan was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The driver of the Kia was identified as an 85-year-old man from Plainview, who had an 85-year-old female passenger, also of Plainview, in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Both occupants of the Kia escaped without injury, police said. The stark contrast in outcomes — a fatality on the motorcycle versus no injuries whatsoever inside the SUV — is a sobering reminder of the physical vulnerability motorcyclists face in collisions with larger passenger vehicles, even at speeds that may not result in harm to those inside an enclosed vehicle.
Investigators from the Suffolk County Police Department’s Second Squad responded to the scene and took charge of the investigation. Per the Daily Voice report, both vehicles — the fire-damaged Ducati and the Kia — were impounded following the crash to allow detectives to conduct safety checks and gather forensic evidence as part of their continuing investigation into the cause and circumstances of the collision.
At the time of publication, no charges had been announced in connection with the crash. The exact street location within Melville where the collision took place, the direction of travel of each vehicle, and the precise time of the Friday evening crash had not been specified in the available reporting. Detectives are continuing to work the case, and authorities are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Location & Road Context
Melville is a hamlet in the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County, situated in the central portion of Long Island. The area is a busy commercial and residential corridor, intersected by major roadways including the Long Island Expressway (I-495), Route 110, and the Northern State Parkway — all of which carry significant traffic volumes and see frequent motorcycle travel, particularly on warm late-spring evenings. You can find more on roadway conditions and incidents across this area on our roads page and our dedicated coverage of Melville and surrounding towns.
Motorcycle crashes involving collisions with turning or merging SUVs are among the most common fatal crash scenarios on Long Island roads. The rear bumper strike described in this incident is consistent with a scenario in which the larger vehicle may have been slowing, stopping, or maneuvering at the moment of impact — though the precise road geometry and traffic conditions at the exact crash site remain under investigation. For more on traffic accidents in this part of Long Island, our archive tracks incidents across the region.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The crash remains under active investigation by the Suffolk County Police Department Second Squad, which handles major vehicular incidents in the Melville area. Both vehicles were impounded for safety checks, which typically allow investigators to examine mechanical condition, braking systems, lighting, and any other factors that may have contributed to the collision. No arrests or charges had been announced as of the time of reporting.
As Daily Voice noted, Khan’s death was officially pronounced at the scene by a physician assistant from the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office, which will also likely conduct further examination to establish the precise cause of death and whether any additional contributing factors — such as speed or impairment — were present. Anyone with information about the crash is urged to contact Second Squad detectives at 631-854-8252.
Broader Impact
The fiery destruction of Khan’s Ducati following the collision raises a practical question about post-crash fire risk that is relevant for all motorcyclists and first responders: high-performance motorcycles such as Ducatis carry fuel in configurations that can ignite rapidly upon impact, particularly when the fuel tank or fuel lines are ruptured in a collision. This underscores the importance of immediate emergency response at motorcycle crash scenes, as fire can develop within seconds and further complicate rescue and evidence preservation efforts. If you or someone you know has been involved in a serious road incident on Long Island, our know-your-rights guide outlines important steps to take in the immediate aftermath.