Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A Holbrook pedestrian was left with serious injuries Friday evening after being struck by a car at a Holtsville intersection, according to an official press release from the Suffolk County Police Department. The incident unfolded at approximately 7:45 p.m. on June 19, 2026, at the intersection of Patchogue-Holbrook Road and Union Avenue — a corridor that runs through the heart of the Holtsville community in central Suffolk County.
According to the Suffolk County Police Department, Robert Steinberg, 63, of Hauppauge, was operating a 2010 Honda Accord traveling northbound on Patchogue-Holbrook Road when his vehicle struck pedestrian Jaime Donnelly, 38, of Holbrook. The collision took place directly at the Union Avenue intersection, a location that serves as a meeting point for residential and commercial traffic in the area.
Donnelly was transported by emergency personnel to Stony Brook University Hospital, one of Long Island’s premier trauma centers, for treatment of what police described as serious injuries. The exact nature of those injuries — including whether Donnelly required surgery or was admitted to intensive care — details remain limited at this stage of the investigation. Police have not yet confirmed the pedestrian’s current condition beyond the initial characterization of “serious injuries.”
Steinberg, the driver of the Accord, was not reported to have fled the scene. Beyond confirming his identity, age, and hometown, the Suffolk County Police Department has not yet publicly detailed what factors may have contributed to the crash — including vehicle speed, lighting conditions at the time of impact, or whether alcohol or distraction played any role. Those questions are expected to be addressed as the investigation by Sixth Squad detectives progresses.
The crash occurred in the early evening hours, approximately at dusk for late June on Long Island, a time of day when visibility for both drivers and pedestrians can be inconsistent — though police have not confirmed whether visibility was a contributing factor in this specific incident. Whether Donnelly was using a marked crosswalk at the Union Avenue intersection, or was crossing at another point along the roadway, has not been confirmed by authorities.
Location & Road Context
Patchogue-Holbrook Road is a north-south arterial roadway running through central Suffolk County, connecting the communities of Holtsville, Holbrook, and Patchogue. The road carries significant local traffic, serving both residential neighborhoods and commercial strips in an area where Suffolk County roadways frequently see a mix of commuter, retail, and pedestrian activity. The intersection at Union Avenue, where this crash occurred, is a notable cross-street junction in Holtsville’s central corridor.
According to Long Island Traffic’s local incident database, this stretch of Patchogue-Holbrook Road has one recorded incident — the crash involving Donnelly and Steinberg — reflecting either limited prior documentation on this specific segment or a historically lower crash frequency at this location. Suffolk County as a whole has logged 467 recorded accidents in our database, underscoring the persistent hazard that the county’s road network poses to all users, particularly pedestrians navigating busy arterial intersections.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The investigation has been assigned to Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives, who specialize in serious injury and fatal motor vehicle collisions. As of the initial press release, no charges against Steinberg have been publicly announced, and police have not yet confirmed whether any summonses or arrests were made at the scene. The absence of a charge announcement at this stage does not preclude future action — Sixth Squad investigations can result in charges days or weeks after the initial incident, particularly when toxicology results, surveillance footage review, or witness interviews are pending.
Police have not yet confirmed whether Steinberg was tested for alcohol or drug impairment at the scene, nor have they disclosed any statements made by the driver. The investigation is described as ongoing.
Broader Impact
The evening timing of this crash — around 7:45 p.m. in mid-June, when daylight is still present but sun angles can create challenging glare conditions for northbound drivers — raises questions about pedestrian visibility at the Patchogue-Holbrook Road and Union Avenue intersection. Under New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, drivers are required to yield to pedestrians within crosswalks on all public roadways, including undivided county roads like Patchogue-Holbrook Road. If the investigation determines that Donnelly was crossing within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at the intersection, that legal standard will be central to any potential charges. Suffolk County has seen a pattern of serious pedestrian injuries at arterial intersections in recent days, including a motorcyclist seriously injured in a separate crash the previous evening and multiple incidents on the Sagtikos State Parkway within the same 24-hour window — a reminder of the heightened risk on Long Island’s roads heading into the summer months.