What Happened
A Massapequa motorcyclist died early Wednesday morning after his Harley-Davidson struck two vehicles on Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst, and a woman was arrested on a DWI charge in connection with the fatal crash, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.
Carlos Henao, 33, of Massapequa, was operating a 2019 Harley-Davidson motorcycle westbound on Montauk Highway at 1:42 a.m. when he attempted to pass two westbound vehicles. According to the Suffolk County Police Department press release, those two vehicles — a 2019 Dodge Ram and a 2023 Honda CRV — had moved to the right lane when Henao’s motorcycle struck the rear of both. He was ejected from the motorcycle and died from his injuries.
News 12 Long Island reported that a Massapequa woman was subsequently arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated in connection with the crash. The arrest was made in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The sequence — two vehicles moving right as a motorcyclist attempted to pass — suggests the fatal contact happened in the right travel lane of Montauk Highway. Police have not yet publicly confirmed which of the two vehicles the arrested woman was driving.
Location & Road Context
The crash took place on Montauk Highway (NY 27A) in Lindenhurst, a major east-west commercial arterial that runs through the South Shore of Suffolk County. Montauk Highway carries heavy overnight traffic through Lindenhurst, Babylon, and neighboring communities, and its combination of multi-lane segments, driveways, and variable posted speeds makes it a corridor where late-night speed and impairment enforcement is active.
This stretch of Suffolk County has seen significant recent crash activity. Our local incident database contains 725 recorded accidents in Suffolk County, including a major crash on the Southern State Parkway on August 4 and a separate crash on NY 27 also on August 4 — both within roughly 24 hours of the Lindenhurst fatality.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The woman was arrested by Suffolk County Police in the early morning hours of Wednesday, August 5, 2026, according to the department’s official press release. The investigation into the crash is ongoing. No bail or arraignment details had been publicly disclosed as of the time of initial reporting.
What This DWI Charge Means
Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law §1192, there are three primary levels of alcohol-impaired driving offenses. A DWAI (Driving While Ability Impaired) charge applies at a BAC between 0.05% and 0.07% and is a traffic infraction rather than a criminal charge, carrying fines up to $500, a 90-day license suspension, and up to 15 days in jail on a first offense. A DWI charge applies at a BAC of 0.08% or higher and is a misdemeanor on the first offense, carrying fines of $500–$1,000, a minimum six-month license revocation, a mandatory ignition interlock device requirement, and up to one year in jail. Aggravated DWI applies at a BAC of 0.18% or higher and carries steeper fines ($1,000–$2,500), a minimum one-year revocation, and up to one year in jail on a first offense.
When a DWI charge is connected to a fatality, prosecutors in Suffolk County frequently pursue felony charges under VTL §1192 in combination with Vehicular Manslaughter statutes under New York Penal Law. Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (PL §125.12) — operating a vehicle while intoxicated and causing a death — is a Class D felony carrying up to seven years in state prison. Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree, which applies when the driver has a prior DWI conviction or a BAC of 0.18% or higher, is a Class C felony carrying up to 15 years. The specific charges filed against the woman arrested in connection with Carlos Henao’s death had not been enumerated in the initial police press release.
Drivers who refuse a chemical test (breathalyzer or blood draw) in New York face automatic consequences independent of any criminal charge: a one-year license revocation on a first refusal, a civil penalty of $500, and the refusal itself can be used as evidence against them in court. A second refusal within five years carries an 18-month revocation and a $750 penalty.
Case Status & Updates
The woman arrested in connection with Carlos Henao’s death is accused — not convicted. Under the U.S. Constitution and New York law, she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The case is expected to be arraigned at Suffolk County District Court in Central Islip and will proceed through Suffolk County’s criminal court system.
Long Island Traffic monitors DWI cases through the courts and will update this report with arraignment outcomes, formal charges, pleas, and sentencing information as they become part of the public record. Bookmark this page or check our Suffolk County accidents index for the latest developments.