What Happened
A female passenger was seriously injured and two others hurt after a three-vehicle crash at Route 347 and Route 111 in Hauppauge at 9:46 a.m. Saturday, according to a Suffolk County Police Department press release.
Marta Pineda was driving a 2008 Acura SUV eastbound on Route 347 when she attempted to make an illegal left turn northbound onto Route 111. Her vehicle struck a 2019 Toyota SUV traveling westbound in the left lane of Route 347. The impact pushed the Toyota into a 2020 Hyundai sedan also traveling westbound to its right.
The female passenger — whose name police had not released in the initial press release — was seriously injured. Two other people sustained injuries in the collision. Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are handling the investigation, per the department’s statement.
Route 347 in Hauppauge was closed following the crash, according to a separate incident report in the Long Island Traffic database for September 5, 2026.
Location & Road Context
Route 347 and Route 111 form a busy intersection in the heart of Hauppauge, a commercially dense stretch that carries heavy Saturday morning traffic between Smithtown and the LIE corridor. An illegal left turn from eastbound Route 347 northbound onto Route 111 crosses multiple lanes of oncoming westbound traffic, including the left lane where the Toyota was struck. The Long Island Traffic database contains 915 recorded accidents in Suffolk County, with a separate major incident on the LIE’s HOV lane reported just the day before.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating the crash. The department’s press release identifies Pineda by name as the driver who executed the illegal left turn but does not list charges filed as of the initial release. Police have not yet confirmed whether summonses or criminal charges will follow the investigation.
Broader Impact
An illegal left turn across a multi-lane roadway like Route 347 — where oncoming traffic in the left lane has no time to react to a crossing vehicle — can draw a VTL § 1160 violation in addition to any charges stemming from injuries caused. With a passenger seriously injured, investigators will determine whether the severity of the outcome affects the charge level Pineda ultimately faces.