Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A Ronkonkoma man faces serious felony charges after allegedly driving nearly three times the legal alcohol limit the wrong way on Sunrise Highway in Massapequa and crashing head-on into an innocent motorist in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day 2026, according to a Nassau County District Attorney press release published March 17, 2026.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that Tasabbir Hossain, 32, of Ronkonkoma, was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned before Judge Helene Gugerty on multiple felony and misdemeanor counts stemming from the crash. According to prosecutors, at approximately 1:55 a.m. on January 1, 2026, after leaving a New Year’s Eve party, Hossain allegedly got behind the wheel of his 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG and began driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of Sunrise Highway in Massapequa — traveling directly into oncoming traffic.
As Hossain continued driving the wrong way, his vehicle collided head-on with a 2015 Acura 4-door sedan operated by a 30-year-old male victim who was lawfully traveling eastbound on Sunrise Highway near Louden Avenue. The impact caused devastating injuries to the innocent driver. The victim was transported by emergency responders to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries to address a fractured arm, a fractured knee, and a fractured ankle. As of the time of indictment, the victim remained confined to a wheelchair, and it was uncertain when — or whether — he would fully regain the ability to walk, per the Nassau County DA’s office.
Hossain himself was transported from the scene to Nassau University Medical Center for medical treatment. Blood drawn from Hossain at the hospital, approximately 30 minutes after the crash, revealed a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .23% — nearly three times New York State’s legal limit of .08%. He was arrested by officers from the Nassau County Police Department’s 7th Precinct on January 1, 2026.
DA Donnelly did not mince words about the alleged conduct. “This defendant was allegedly so intoxicated when he left a party after ringing in the new year that he drove into oncoming traffic on Sunrise Highway,” Donnelly said, according to the Nassau County DA’s announcement. “His reckless choice to drink and drive created an incredibly dangerous situation for his fellow drivers, and ultimately, put an innocent 30-year-old man in the hospital after Hossain crashed head on into the victim’s vehicle. That man suffered extensive injuries requiring multiple surgeries. He remains confined to a wheelchair, and it is unclear when he will regain the ability to walk. There is no excuse for driving home drunk from a party. Plan ahead, call a cab, or travel with a designated driver. Make sure that you — and everyone on the road with you — makes it home alive.”
Hossain was arraigned on March 17, 2026, before Judge Helene Gugerty and entered a plea of not guilty to all counts. Bail was continued at $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or $1.25 million partially secured bond. He is next due in court on April 20, 2026. If convicted on the top count, Aggravated Vehicular Assault — a Class C felony — Hossain faces up to 7 to 15 years in prison.
Location & Road Context
The crash took place on Sunrise Highway near Louden Avenue in Massapequa, a heavily traveled east-west corridor that runs the length of Nassau and Suffolk counties. Sunrise Highway is a major arterial road and serves as a primary commuter route between the South Shore communities of Long Island and New York City. The stretch in Massapequa sees significant overnight and early-morning traffic, particularly around major holidays. Nassau County’s local incident database tracked by Long Island Traffic contains 618 recorded accidents in Nassau County alone, reflecting the persistent danger on roads like this one throughout the county.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The indictment against Hossain includes eight separate counts: Aggravated Vehicular Assault (a Class C felony); Vehicular Assault in the First Degree (a Class D felony); Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree (a Class E felony); Assault in the Second Degree (a Class D violent felony); Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated Per Se (unclassified misdemeanor); Driving While Intoxicated Per Se (unclassified misdemeanor); Driving While Intoxicated (unclassified misdemeanor); and Reckless Driving (unclassified misdemeanor), per the Nassau County DA’s office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brittany Battista of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Michael Bushwack and Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Litigation Division Kevin Higgins. Hossain is represented by defense attorney Gerard McCloskey, Esq.
What This DWI Charge Means
Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL) §1192, there are multiple tiers of alcohol-impaired driving offenses. A standard DWI charge (VTL §1192.3) applies when a driver operates a vehicle while impaired by alcohol regardless of a specific BAC reading, while DWI Per Se (VTL §1192.2) applies when a driver’s BAC tests at or above .08%. Aggravated DWI Per Se — the most serious tier — applies when a driver’s BAC reaches .18% or higher. With a recorded BAC of .23%, Hossain’s alleged level was well into Aggravated DWI territory, nearly three times the legal limit and more than 27% above even the elevated Aggravated DWI threshold.
For a first-time DWI conviction in New York, consequences can include fines of $500 to $1,000, a minimum six-month license revocation, a mandatory surcharge, enrollment in the Drinking Driver Program (DDP), and possible jail time of up to one year. Aggravated DWI carries harsher penalties — fines of $1,000 to $2,500, a minimum one-year license revocation, and up to one year in jail on the misdemeanor tier alone. When a DWI involves serious physical injury to another person, as in this case, the charges escalate to felony-level Vehicular Assault and Aggravated Vehicular Assault, carrying multi-year state prison sentences. Hossain faces up to 7 to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count. In New York, drivers who refuse a chemical test face an automatic one-year license revocation and a $500 civil penalty — even if never convicted of a DWI charge — in addition to the refusal being admissible as evidence against them in court.
Beyond criminal penalties, any driver convicted of a DWI in New York faces mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device on any vehicle they own or operate, a requirement that applies even to first-time offenders convicted of misdemeanor DWI. The DMV’s Driver Responsibility Assessment adds an additional $250 per year for three years (totaling $750) on top of court fines, and the long-term insurance consequences of a DWI conviction can be financially devastating for years after any sentence is served.
Case Status & Updates
As stated by the Nassau County DA’s office, the charges against Tasabbir Hossain are accusations, and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Hossain entered a plea of not guilty at his March 17, 2026, arraignment and is next scheduled to appear in Nassau County court on April 20, 2026. The case will proceed through Nassau County Supreme Court given the felony-level indictment.
Long Island Traffic monitors DWI cases as they move through the courts and updates each report with arraignment outcomes, plea changes, trial developments, and sentencing information as they become part of the public record. Check back on this page for updates as the Hossain case proceeds toward its next court date and beyond.
Broader Impact
This case is part of a troubling pattern of wrong-way DWI crashes on Nassau County roadways. Just weeks before Hossain’s indictment was announced, the Nassau County DA’s office also sentenced a Hempstead man to up to 9 years in prison for a May 2025 wrong-way crash in Roslyn — a stark reminder that courts are increasingly treating wrong-way DWI crashes with serious and severe consequences. Readers involved in a similar incident can learn more about their legal options at Long Island Traffic’s Know Your Rights resource page.