Ridge, NY - February 15, 2018 - Suffolk County Police today arrested a man after he initiated a crash driving a stolen vehicle that killed five people in Ridge.
According to the @, Jamel Turner of Bellport, 23, was driving a stolen Camaro in Ridge on Wednesday, February 14 at approximately 11:20 a.m., west of Woodlot Road when he crashed into a 2012 Mazda, also traveling eastbound at approximately 11:20 a.m. The Camaro then struck an oil truck traveling westbound and the Mazda struck a 1999 Infiniti traveling eastbound.
Lonidell Skinner, 19, of Bellport, was a passenger in the Camaro and was ejected. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. Turner was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
All four people in the Mazda were pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. The driver of the oil truck was transported to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Infiniti was not injured.
Major Case Unit detectives charged Turner with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 3rd Degree and False Personation. Turner also was charged with an outstanding warrant. Additional charges are anticipated.
The names of the four people who died in the crash are being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.
The investigation is continuing.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.