Bohemia five-vehicle crash kills motorcyclist

BOHEMIA (WABC) -- A motorcyclist is dead following a five-vehicle crash on Long Island Saturday morning.

The accident happened 7:19 Saturday morning at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Highway and Johnson Avenue by the entrance to MacArthur Airport in Bohemia.

Before the crash, the motorcyclist, 44-year-old Christopher White of Medford was escorting a group of World War II veterans who were flying out of MacArthur Airport for a trip to Washington D.C.

As White was leaving the airport, he was involved in the 5-vehicle crash that Suffolk Police say was started by 55-year-old Paul Porrini of Selden, who they saw was driving a white Chevy van under the influence of drugs.

Police say Porrini ran a red light as he was traveling Westbound on Veterans Memorial Highway, causing a deadly chain reaction.

For hours, the intersection outside the Airport was closed as detectives combed through the scene, collecting and photographing evidence. Drivers maneuvered around the investigation as they raced to catch flights.

Connie Hampson and her husband had just landed from North Carolina, and walked with their luggage to meet their ride.

"There wasn't any way for my daughter to come and pick us up at the airport, so we just walked out to over here across the street from the airport from where she was," Hampson says.

Other motorists who were involved in the crash suffered non-life threating injuries and were taken to local hospitals. All are expected to be okay.

Porrini is set to be arraigned on Sunday.

Get more Long Island News »

long island news, long island, bohemia, accident, long island news

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•