Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 75-year-old bicyclist was left in serious condition Tuesday afternoon after being struck by a 2022 Subaru at the intersection of Butterfield Drive and Pulaski Road in Greenlawn, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.
The collision was reported at approximately 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 — the day after Memorial Day — a period that traditionally sees elevated road traffic across Long Island as residents return home from holiday gatherings and beach outings. The exact sequence of events leading to the impact, including the direction of travel of both the bicyclist and the Subaru, has not yet been confirmed by investigators. Details remain limited regarding whether a traffic control device such as a stop sign or traffic light governs the intersection, or whether the Subaru driver failed to yield to the bicyclist.
Due to the severity of the victim’s injuries, he was airlifted from the scene aboard a Suffolk County Police helicopter and transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center, where he was listed in serious but non-life-threatening condition. The decision to use air transport rather than ground EMS reflects the urgency of the medical situation at the scene, though specific injury details — such as the nature or extent of the injuries — police have not yet confirmed.
The victim’s identity is being withheld by the Suffolk County Police Department pending notification of his next of kin. No information about the driver of the 2022 Subaru has been released at this time, including the driver’s age, hometown, or whether they remained at the scene following the crash. Suffolk County Police Second Squad detectives have assumed responsibility for the investigation.
It is not yet known whether speed, driver inattention, failure to yield, or any other contributing factor played a role in the collision. Police have not yet confirmed whether the bicyclist was in a marked bike lane, on the shoulder, or crossing the intersection at the time of impact. These are details that Second Squad investigators are expected to clarify as the case develops.
Location & Road Context
The crash took place at the intersection of Butterfield Drive and Pulaski Road in Greenlawn, a residential hamlet within the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County. Pulaski Road is a connector route that runs through the heart of Greenlawn, linking residential neighborhoods to local commercial areas. Intersections of this type — where local roads cross at grade without dedicated bicycle infrastructure — are commonly identified as higher-risk zones for cyclists, particularly older riders whose recovery from traumatic injuries can be more complex.
Our local incident database currently records 323 accidents across Suffolk County, with the Butterfield Drive and Pulaski Road intersection appearing in our records for the first time with this May 26 crash. The broader Greenlawn and Huntington area has seen elevated roadway activity in recent weeks. This crash follows closely on a major motorcyclist injury crash on May 23 and multiple incidents on the parkway system including a crash on the Northern State Parkway on May 24 and a crash on the Southern State Parkway on the same date — suggesting a notably active stretch of roadway safety incidents across the county heading into the summer season.
Broader Impact
The age of the victim — 75 years old — is a significant factor in crashes of this nature. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, older cyclists face disproportionately higher risks of severe injury and longer recovery times following collisions, even when the initial crash might appear similar in force to one involving a younger rider. The use of a police helicopter for transport underscores that medical personnel at the scene assessed the injuries as requiring immediate, high-speed access to trauma care. New York State law requires motorists to pass cyclists at a safe distance and to yield to bicyclists who have the right of way at intersections — though police have not yet confirmed which party held the right of way at this particular crossing. Residents and cyclists traveling through the Butterfield Drive and Pulaski Road corridor in Greenlawn are encouraged to exercise heightened caution at this intersection as the investigation continues.