Off-duty NYPD officer killed in Westbury car crash

An off-duty New York City police officer was killed and another man critically wounded when their out-of-control car crashed into a tree at a high rate of speed early Thursday in Westbury, police said.

Both men are from Long Island, Nassau County police said, but police have not identified either of them pending notification of their next of kin.

The crash occurred at about 2:30 a.m., police said. It was not immediately clear who was driving.

The car, a black 1994 Honda Accord, was headed north on Carman Avenue at "a high rate of speed," Nassau police spokesman Det. Lt. Kevin Smith said. It passed on the right another northbound car carrying four people, then cut in front of that car and went out of control, police said.

Smith said the Honda hit a curb and a tree, spun around and slammed into another tree. The officer was trapped in the mangled wreck, Smith said. The other man was ejected and suffered "massive head trauma," police said.

Both victims were taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. The officer died at 3:10 a.m., Smith said. The other man is in critical condition.

Police said the cause of the accident remains under investigation.