Darrell Sumpter, assistant William Floyd basketball coach, killed in Sunrise crash, police say

An assistant coach for the William Floyd High School boys varsity basketball team was killed in a crash on Sunrise Highway on Friday afternoon, the school district announced. 

Darrell Sumpter, 51, of Shirley, was "a longtime community member, a family man, and a highly regarded coach and mentor for our boys' and girls' basketball programs," the William Floyd School District said in a statement. 

Sumpter was an assistant coach for the boys varsity team since 2015 and a longtime volunteer, according to the district. 

"Coach Darrell was instrumental in the creation of the WFSD youth basketball program and booster club that has made a difference in the lives of so many boys’ and girls’ student-athletes within our community," the statement continued. 

The school district said grief and crisis counselors are available to students in the wake of the crash. 

Darrell Sumpter Jr., 24, of Mastic, said his father “was the most unselfish man” and cared deeply for the community, giving his time to help younger generations keep their lives on track through sports.

Since his dad launched the youth basketball program, Darrell Sumpter Jr. said, his father was in the gym nearly every day, working with over 200 kids every week.

“He was more than a coach. He was more like a friend and a father figure for most of the people involved in Floyd,” the son said.

Darrell Sumpter Jr. said his dad raised him and his four siblings “to be the best person that we could possibly be.” Sumpter had a lighthearted touch but knew when to be tough, his son said. 

“As long as we were great people, we knew that’s all that mattered,” he said.

Will Slinkosky, head varsity basketball coach at Floyd, said Sumpter "stood for something greater than the game of basketball."

"He stood for how each individual should strive to be as a person. Kind, loving, humble, caring. He did everything for everyone and expected nothing back in return," Slinkosky said. "He was an amazing man ... He truly was the 'Father of Floyd.' ”

Rich Sinclair, coach of the Floyd girls varsity team, said Sumpter "always tried to do what's best for the kids" and "went above and beyond" in his commitment to the community. "He was one of those people that just genuinely cared about the kids," Sinclair said.

Sinclair credited Darrell Sumpter with being "a big heartbeat" of the youth programs for both boys and girls. 

"He really did create a family atmosphere," Sinclair said. 

Floyd baseball coach Keith Kobasiuk said Darrell Sumpter was "a staple here for all the kids" and "will definitely be missed."

“This is a big loss not only for the basketball program but for the community,” Kobasiuk said. 

Police said Sumpter was driving a 2002 Cadillac in the left westbound lane of Sunrise Highway between Horseblock Road and William Floyd Parkway at around 1:37 p.m. “when the vehicle swerved and struck a 2021 Ford utility truck traveling in the right lane.” 

Both the car and the truck left the road and overturned, authorities added.

The 48-year-old female passenger in the Cadillac and the 52-year-old man driving the Ford truck were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Suffolk police said.

Suffolk police ask anyone with information regarding the crash to call the Fifth Squad at 631-854-8552.

With Nicholas Grasso