Train-vehicle crash at Mill Road railroad crossing sends three to hospitals

(Updated: June 19) Two vehicles and a westbound passenger train were involved in an accident at the Mill Road railroad crossing in Riverhead at around 1:40 p.m. Thursday that sent three people to area hospitals.

A northbound silver Mercedes was stopped at the railroad crossing gate when a northbound Honda CRV rear-ended it, pushing the Mercedes onto the tracks and into the path of the oncoming double-decker train, according to a witness at the scene.

The driver of the Mercedes was lying on the ground to the rear of her vehicle when police arrived at the scene. It was not clear if she had been ejected from the vehicle or if she had gotten out of the vehicle on her own after the crash.  A witness said the driver got out of the car just before the train made impact.

The Mercedes came to a rest on the north side of the tracks and the CRV on the south side, crashing into a LIRR mechanical box next to the tracks. The train came to a stop on the tracks between the vehicles, blocking the road and complicating rescue efforts.

The driver of the Honda was extracted from her vehicle by Riverhead Fire Department heavy rescue.

Both drivers were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital. One was transported to a landing zone at the Office Max parking lot in Tanger by Flanders-Northampton Community Ambulance to be airlifted by a Suffolk County Police MedEvac helicopter. Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported the other victim by ambulance. The extent of either victim’s injuries was not immediately known.

MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said there was a total of five occupants among the two cars, but Riverhead Police Lt. Sean Egan said the driver was the sole occupant of each vehicle.

The train, which left the Riverhead station at 1:37 p.m.,  originated in Greenport. There were 21 passengers on the train at the time of the accident, Donovan said. They were kept on the train while awaiting bus transportation to be provided by the LIRR.  There were no injuries aboard the train, Donovan said. A passenger on the requested medical assistance about an hour after the crash and was transported by RVAC to Peconic Bay Medical Center complaining of neck and back pain.

MTA police are investigating the scene. Mill Road was closed until 4:10 p.m.

The next two trains on the Main Line — the 2:45 eastbound from Ronkonkoma and the westbound train scheduled to leave Riverhead at 3:58 p.m. will be replaced by buses, the MTA spokesman said.

Peter Blasl and Denise Civiletti contributed reporting for this story.