A 33-year-old Massapequa man died early Wednesday morning after his motorcycle collided with two vehicles on Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst, and one of the drivers involved was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, according to Suffolk County police.
Carlos Henao was riding a 2019 Harley-Davidson west on Montauk Highway near Chestnut Street around 1:42 a.m. when he tried to pass two vehicles moving in the same direction.
His motorcycle struck the back of a 2019 Dodge Ram and a 2023 Honda CR-V after both had shifted into the right lane, police said. Henao was thrown from the motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Driver Faces DWI Charge
The Honda’s driver, 28-year-old Brieonna McGinn of Massapequa, was taken into custody and charged with driving while intoxicated.
She was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at First District Court in Central Islip. It was not immediately clear whether she had legal representation. Police have not said that her intoxication was the direct cause of the crash. No charges were filed against the driver of the third vehicle involved.
All three vehicles were towed and impounded so investigators could conduct safety inspections. Detectives from the department’s Major Case Unit are handling the investigation and are asking anyone with information about the crash to call 631 852 6555.
Road Closed for Hours
The collision happened near the intersection of Montauk Highway and Chestnut Street. Police shut down both directions of Montauk Highway between South Second and Hickory streets while officers investigated and cleared the scene, causing lengthy delays for drivers in the area during the early morning hours. The roadway has since reopened to traffic.
Henao’s death adds to a troubling pattern of serious crashes across Long Island. A recent Newsday investigation found that a traffic crash causing death, injury or significant property damage happens on Long Island roughly every seven minutes on average.
That same investigation found that more than 2,100 people were killed and over 16,000 were seriously injured in crashes across the region between 2014 and 2023.
The circumstances leading up to the crash remain under investigation, and police have not released further details about McGinn’s arrest or whether additional charges may follow as the case moves forward. Authorities continue to urge witnesses to come forward with any information that could assist detectives working the case.
