What Happened
Thomas LoBianco, a Long Island man, was charged with driving while intoxicated after his vehicle struck a Suffolk County road repaving crew on Townline Road, killing one construction worker and severely injuring two others, according to Yahoo News.
Prosecutors allege LoBianco was distracted by his cell phone, drifted across lanes, and ran a red light before plowing into the repaving crew. The sequence, as alleged, combined three separate failures: impairment, distraction, and a disregarded traffic control, all in a single approach to the work zone.
One construction worker died at the scene or as a result of the collision. Two other crew members sustained severe leg injuries, according to the Yahoo News report. The repaving crew was on active duty on Townline Road at the time of the crash, working a Suffolk County road resurfacing job.
LoBianco was taken into custody and charged with DWI following the crash. The date of the incident is reported as Tuesday, August 11, 2026. No bail figure or arraignment date was included in the available source material.
Location & Road Context
Townline Road is a surface road in Suffolk County, Long Island, commonly used as a boundary corridor between townships. Road repaving crews on active surface roads operate in close proximity to moving traffic, typically protected by cone zones and posted reduced speed limits under New York State work zone law.
Suffolk County maintains an active road resurfacing program across its township road network. For current Suffolk County road and construction conditions, check the Long Island Traffic construction tracker.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Prosecutors have charged LoBianco under New York’s DWI statutes following the fatal Townline Road crash, per the Yahoo News report. The specific subsection of VTL § 1192, whether standard DWI (§ 1192.2, BAC 0.08 or higher), Aggravated DWI (§ 1192.2-a, BAC 0.18 or higher), or DWAI (§ 1192.1), has not been confirmed in available source material.
The cell phone distraction allegation may carry a separate charge under VTL § 1225-d, New York’s handheld device prohibition, though no additional charges beyond DWI were confirmed at publication. Arraignment timing and the presiding court were not specified in the available source material.
What This DWI Charge Means
New York VTL § 1192 establishes three tiers of alcohol-impaired driving offenses. A DWAI (§ 1192.1) applies when a driver’s ability is impaired but BAC is below 0.08; it is a traffic infraction, not a misdemeanor, carrying a fine up to $500 and up to 15 days in jail. A standard DWI (§ 1192.2) requires a BAC of 0.08 or higher and is a misdemeanor on a first offense, with fines between $500 and $1,000, a mandatory minimum six-month license revocation, and up to one year in jail. Aggravated DWI (§ 1192.2-a) applies at BAC 0.18 or higher and raises the fine ceiling to $2,500 on a first offense, with a minimum one-year revocation.
A fatal DWI crash in New York can escalate charges well beyond § 1192. Vehicular manslaughter in the second degree under Penal Law § 125.12 applies when an intoxicated driver causes a death; it is a class D felony carrying up to seven years in state prison. If a second death or aggravating factor is present, first-degree vehicular manslaughter (class C felony, up to 15 years) applies. The cell phone distraction allegation, if folded into the charging document, could support additional counts under reckless endangerment statutes. A conviction on any felony DWI count triggers permanent DMV records and mandatory ignition interlock device installation on any vehicle the defendant operates or owns.
Drivers who refuse a chemical test under New York’s implied consent law face an automatic one-year license revocation by the DMV, separate from any court proceeding, and the refusal itself is admissible as evidence at trial. A second refusal within five years triggers an 18-month revocation.
Case Status & Updates
The charge against Thomas LoBianco is an accusation. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case is expected to proceed through Suffolk County criminal court, where it will be arraigned, move through pre-trial proceedings, and resolve by plea or trial.
Long Island Traffic tracks DWI cases from arrest through sentencing and updates each report as arraignment outcomes, pleas, and sentencing become part of the public record. Check back on this page for updates as the LoBianco case advances through court.
For real-time road conditions on Townline Road and surrounding Suffolk County routes, see the Long Island Traffic roads tracker and the accidents log.