Melville, NY - October 22, 2018 - Suffolk county Police on Friday, October 19 arrested a woman for driving while intoxicated following a crash involving eight vehicles on the Long Island Expressway.
Highway Patrol officers responded to a report of a multi-vehicle crash on the eastbound Long Island Expressway near Exit 49N in Melville at approximately 10:22 p.m.
Eastbound traffic was slowing down due to an earlier car fire near Exit 49. Two cars collided, setting off a chain reaction involving eight vehicles in total, including an oil tanker truck.
One of the vehicles, a mini van driven by Suzanne Butler, skidded to a stop under the oil tanker and became stuck. Butler was able to exit the vehicle and was transported to Huntington Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Five other people involved in the crash were transported to local hospitals for treatment of minor injuries.
Butler, 45, of East Meadow, was arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated. She will be held overnight at the Fourth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip in the morning.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.