Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 35-year-old Brentwood man was left with serious injuries Friday evening after being struck by a passing vehicle while standing outside his own car on the shoulder of Town Line Road in East Northport — a jarring reminder of the dangers that can unfold in an instant for drivers who stop on the side of the road.
According to Northport Patch, Fausto Sorto, 35, of Brentwood, was traveling eastbound on Town Line Road in his 2014 Honda Accord when he pulled the vehicle off the roadway onto the shoulder in front of 341 Town Line Road at approximately 7:36 p.m. on Friday, June 13, 2026. The specific reason Sorto pulled over has not been disclosed by authorities.
After stopping, Sorto exited the Accord and walked around toward the rear of the vehicle. He was positioned in the driver’s side trunk area — standing between his parked car and the active lane of travel — when a Volkswagen Atlas traveling along Town Line Road struck him, Suffolk County police said. The force of the impact left Sorto with serious injuries.
As Patch reports, the Volkswagen Atlas was driven by a 17-year-old resident of Northport, whose name has not been publicly released, consistent with standard practice for juvenile subjects in police reports. The teen driver was not injured in the collision. Police have not disclosed the teen’s direction of travel at the time of the crash, nor have authorities stated whether speed, distraction, or any other contributing factor has been identified as of the initial report.
Emergency responders transported Sorto to South Shore University Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment of his serious injuries. The severity and specific nature of those injuries have not been further detailed in police statements. Both the 2014 Honda Accord and the Volkswagen Atlas were impounded in the aftermath of the crash for mandatory safety checks, a standard procedure in serious injury collisions in Suffolk County.
Suffolk County Police Second Squad detectives are leading the investigation into the crash. According to the Patch report published Monday, June 15, 2026, investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has relevant information to contact the Second Squad at 631-854-8252.
Location & Road Context
Town Line Road in East Northport runs through a residential and light commercial corridor in the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County. The stretch near 341 Town Line Road — the address in front of which Sorto stopped his vehicle — is a typical suburban Suffolk County road where shoulder space exists but passing traffic can move at relatively brisk speeds, leaving little margin for error for anyone standing outside a vehicle near the active travel lane.
East Northport sits in the northern portion of Suffolk County, bordered by neighboring communities including Northport, Commack, and Kings Park. Town Line Road serves as a local connector route and does not carry the same high-speed traffic volumes as nearby major arteries, but the circumstances of this crash — a motorist stopped on the shoulder at dusk — highlight how quickly a roadside stop can turn dangerous. For more on roads in the Huntington area, Long Island Traffic maintains ongoing coverage of traffic conditions throughout the region.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
As of the time of reporting, no charges have been announced in connection with the crash. Suffolk County Police Second Squad detectives are actively investigating the incident and have made no public statements indicating whether the teen driver faces potential criminal or traffic-related charges. The impoundment of both vehicles for safety checks suggests investigators are still in the process of determining all contributing factors.
Anyone with information about the crash is urged to contact the Suffolk County Police Second Squad at 631-854-8252. The Second Squad handles serious injury and fatal crash investigations across a portion of central Suffolk County.
Broader Impact
This crash underscores a persistent danger that traffic safety advocates emphasize: stopping on the shoulder of a road — even briefly — places drivers and passengers in an acutely vulnerable position. In New York State, motorists are required to move as far off the traveled portion of the roadway as safely possible when making an emergency stop, and are advised to remain inside the vehicle with seatbelts fastened whenever possible. Sorto’s presence outside the vehicle, near the driver’s side rear, placed him directly in the path of any errant vehicle drifting onto the shoulder — a scenario that plays out with troubling regularity on Long Island roads. Readers involved in roadside collisions can find guidance on next steps at Long Island Traffic’s know-your-rights resource.