Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A late-night collision at the intersection of Waverly Avenue and Buckley Road in Suffolk County claimed the life of a passenger and sent two others to the hospital, police announced on Friday, June 12, 2026, according to Riverhead Daily Voice.
The crash unfolded when Meredith Hill, 79, of East Patchogue, was driving a 2023 Kia Forte southbound on Waverly Avenue. As Hill attempted to turn left onto Buckley Road, the Kia was struck by a 2016 Dodge Ram traveling northbound on Waverly Avenue, police said. The force of the collision proved catastrophic for the passenger riding in Hill’s vehicle, identified by last name only as Spokony.
Spokony was transported by emergency responders to NYU Langone Hospital–Suffolk, located in Patchogue, where he was later pronounced dead, according to authorities. The circumstances were described as a late-night crash, though the precise time of the collision was not released in the initial report published by Riverhead Daily Voice on the morning of June 12 at 9:57 a.m. Further biographical details about Spokony were not immediately available; his loved ones have been invited to share information with the Daily Voice newsroom directly.
Hill, the Kia’s driver, survived the crash and was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was treated for injuries described as non-life-threatening, police said. The driver of the Dodge Ram, Michael Aulivola, 55, of Holtsville, was treated for minor injuries, according to authorities. All three individuals — Hill, Spokony, and Aulivola — were accounted for at the scene and transported to separate medical facilities based on the severity of their conditions.
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, both the 2023 Kia Forte and the 2016 Dodge Ram were impounded by investigators. Police indicated that the vehicles are being held for safety inspections as part of the ongoing inquiry. Detectives have not yet publicly determined or announced a definitive cause of the crash beyond the physical mechanics of the left-turn collision.
No charges have been announced as of the time of this report. The Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit is actively seeking the public’s assistance. Anyone with information about the crash is urged to call 631-852-6555.
Location & Road Context
The collision took place at the intersection of Waverly Avenue and Buckley Road, a crossing within the Suffolk County road network that serves residential and commuter traffic in the East Patchogue area. Waverly Avenue is a two-way, multi-lane corridor used regularly by local drivers traveling between communities in the Brookhaven Town area. Left-turn maneuvers at uncontrolled or partially controlled intersections on roads like Waverly Avenue carry well-documented risk, particularly during late-night hours when driver reaction times and visibility can be diminished.
Suffolk County has been the site of significant crash activity throughout 2026. Our local incident database currently records 426 accidents in Suffolk County this year alone, including several serious and fatal collisions in the days immediately surrounding this crash. The volume of incidents on Long Island roads underscores the continued danger posed by intersection crashes, particularly those involving turning vehicles and oncoming traffic.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
As of the morning of June 12, 2026, the Suffolk County Police Department’s Major Case Unit has assumed investigative responsibility for the fatal crash on Waverly Avenue, per Riverhead Daily Voice. Both vehicles involved — the 2023 Kia Forte and the 2016 Dodge Ram — have been impounded and are undergoing safety inspections as part of the investigation. This is a standard procedure in fatal motor vehicle crashes in New York State, allowing investigators to examine mechanical systems, braking, lighting, and other vehicle factors that may have contributed to the collision.
No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed at this stage. Detectives are continuing to gather evidence and have asked members of the public who may have witnessed the crash or have relevant information to contact the Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555. The investigation remains active and open.
Broader Impact
Left-turn crashes are among the most deadly types of intersection collisions in New York State, as they place a turning vehicle directly in the path of oncoming traffic traveling at or near the posted speed limit. This crash joins a cluster of serious incidents recorded on Long Island over the same 48-hour window, including a woman seriously injured in a single-vehicle crash and a motorcyclist seriously injured in a separate motor vehicle crash — both reported on June 13, 2026 — highlighting an especially dangerous stretch of days on Suffolk County roads.