Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
An East Massapequa man was hospitalized with serious injuries late Friday night after his electric bicycle collided with the driver’s side of a car at a North Amityville intersection, according to Greater Long Island. The crash unfolded around 8:20 p.m. at the intersection of West Oak Street and County Line Road — a crossing in a residential stretch of North Amityville that sees regular north-south and east-west through-traffic.
Matthew Axmacher, 41, of East Massapequa, had been riding his e-bike eastbound along West Oak Street when he struck the driver’s side of a 2007 Honda Civic that was traveling northbound on County Line Road, police said. The impact appears to have been a broadside-style collision, with the e-bike making direct contact with the driver’s door panel of the Honda at or near the center of the intersection.
The driver of the Honda Civic, identified as James Lee Kelly, 39, of North Amityville, was not at fault for triggering the collision, according to authorities. As Greater Long Island reported, Kelly was passing through a green light at the County Line Road intersection at the time Axmacher’s e-bike struck him. Kelly was not injured in the crash.
Axmacher was not as fortunate. Emergency responders transported him to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, where he is being treated for serious injuries, per Greater Long Island. The precise nature of those injuries has not been publicly detailed by investigators at this time, though the designation of “serious” under New York State police reporting standards typically indicates injuries requiring significant medical intervention or hospitalization beyond initial emergency care.
No other passengers or bystanders were reported injured in connection with the crash. The extent of any damage to the Honda Civic or the e-bike itself was not described in initial reports. The crash occurred on a Friday evening, a timeframe that routinely sees elevated bicycle and e-bike activity across Long Island communities as residents take advantage of early summer conditions.
Location & Road Context
The crash took place at the intersection of West Oak Street and County Line Road in North Amityville, a hamlet in the Town of Babylon in Suffolk County. County Line Road runs along the boundary between Nassau and Suffolk counties and carries steady north-south traffic through several densely populated South Shore communities, including Amityville, North Amityville, and Copiague. The road sees a mix of passenger vehicles, commercial traffic, and, increasingly, e-bikes and other micromobility devices traveling between residential neighborhoods.
West Oak Street feeds east-west traffic through residential blocks in the North Amityville area. The intersection where the crash occurred is not a limited-access point — it is a standard signalized crossing — and the sequence of events described by police suggests a potential failure on the part of the e-bike to yield to a green-light-controlled intersection. Suffolk County has seen a sharp increase in e-bike-related accidents across its roadways in recent years, particularly in the evening hours, as the popularity of electric bicycles for commuting and recreation continues to grow on Long Island.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Suffolk County Police First Squad detectives are leading the investigation into the crash, authorities confirmed. The First Squad handles major accident investigations in the western portion of Suffolk County, including incidents occurring in the Amityville and Babylon areas. As of the initial report, no charges have been filed in connection with the collision.
Investigators are actively seeking information from anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has relevant details about the circumstances leading up to the impact. The public is encouraged to contact the First Squad directly at 631-854-8152 with any tips or information. The investigation remains open.
Broader Impact
E-bike use on Long Island has surged dramatically in recent years, and with it, the number of serious injury crashes involving riders who may not be subject to the same licensing, registration, or insurance requirements as traditional motor vehicle operators. Under New York State law, Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes are permitted on roadways but are subject to the same traffic controls as conventional bicycles — meaning an e-bike rider is required to obey signals, yield appropriately, and operate within established lane and intersection rules. Friday night’s crash on County Line Road, in which the e-bike rider appears to have entered an intersection against the flow of a green-light-controlled vehicle, underscores the critical importance of signal compliance for all road users, motorized or otherwise, particularly during the higher-risk conditions of evening travel.