Four people were injured in a three-car accident at the intersection of Jericho Turnpike and Willis Avenue in Mineola early Sunday, according to the Nassau County Police Department.
Detectives said the accident, which was reported shortly after 3 a.m., involved a Chevrolet SUV, a Lexus sedan and a Jeep SUV. The sedan, driven by a 27-year-old man, was reportedly traveling eastbound on the Jericho Turnpike when it struck the Chevrolet driven by a 38-year-old man, detectives said. The Chevrolet then hit the Jeep, driven by a 26-year old woman.
The accident caused the Lexus to hit a fence at 113 Jericho Turnpike, along with two nearby businesses at 99 and 105 Jericho Turnpike, according to the police. The unidentified driver of the Lexus and a 28-year-old female passenger were transported to a nearby hospital with “serious injuries,” officials said.
Members of the Mineola Volunteer Fire Department reported to the scene after the Lexus caught on fire. According to the Fire Department, the car “split into two parts” with one part overturned into a building with the two people trapped inside, and the other part engulfed in flames.
Fire Department officials said the two were freed without any extraction tools needed, and responding units were at the scene of the incident for under two hours.
Two other people involved in the crash were also transported to nearby hospitals after suffering minor injuries. Officials said the investigation was ongoing.
The turnpike was closed in both directions between Sagamore Avenue and Willis Avenue as a result of the accident. The Willis Avenue and Jericho Turnpike intersection was reopened later on Sunday.
Efforts to reach a representative from the Police Department for more information were unavailing.
