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What Happened
Thomas Lobianco, 26, of Lake Ronkonkoma was arraigned Wednesday, September 9, on a 19-count indictment stemming from a fatal crash that killed a Mastic construction worker, 38, on Townline Road in Nesconset in the early hours of August 10, 2026. Lobianco pleaded not guilty. The lead charge is aggravated vehicle homicide.
Lobianco had just finished a shift at a Nesconset 7-Eleven when he allegedly got behind the wheel, according to the New York Post. He blew through a red light on Townline Road and plowed into a crew that was actively paving the roadway, prosecutors said. The vehicle was a 1999 Toyota Camry.
A 38-year-old Mastic construction worker, a father of three, was killed in the collision. Two other construction workers were seriously injured, prosecutors said. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said the workers were on the roadway performing paving work when Lobianco’s car struck them.
Police recovered marijuana, clonazepam, and drug paraphernalia from a backpack found in Lobianco’s wrecked Camry, according to Smithtown Patch. Prosecutors allege Lobianco was impaired by cannabis and clonazepam at the time of the crash. Lobianco’s defense attorney appeared alongside him during Wednesday’s arraignment.
DA Tierney issued a statement at arraignment: “Every morning, construction crews step out onto Suffolk County roadways to perform work that every one of us relies on, often just feet away from fast-moving traffic. They have every right to expect that they will make it home safely at the end of their shift. This defendant chose to get behind the wheel while impaired by drugs, and that choice caused devastating consequences.”
A judge set bail at $7.5 million. Lobianco’s next court date is October 14.
Location & Road Context
Townline Road in Nesconset runs through a residential and commercial stretch of central Suffolk County, near the Smithtown-Nesconset corridor. The crew was paving the road surface at the time of the crash, placing workers directly in the travel lane. For updates on road construction affecting this part of Suffolk County, see Long Island Traffic’s construction coverage.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
The 19-count indictment, filed by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office under DA Ray Tierney, is led by the aggravated vehicle homicide charge, according to the New York Post. A conviction on all counts carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Lobianco entered a not-guilty plea at Wednesday’s arraignment before a Suffolk County judge, per Smithtown Patch.
Bail was set at $7.5 million. Lobianco is next due in court October 14.