Cops: 1 killed in Wading River car crash

The driver of a pickup truck died Friday morning after his 1986 Chevrolet slammed into the rear of a tractor trailer illegally parked on the shoulder of Route 25A in Wading River, Riverhead Police said.

Daniel Kiernan, 62, of Selden, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Duwayne Tirado, 26, of New Britain, Conn., the driver of the 2006 International tractor trailer, said he was pulled over on the south side of Route 25A to make a delivery of nursery plants to Sound Gardens in Wading River.

He was pulled over into the breakdown lane, he said, to figure out how to enter the parking lot. Police said he had his flashing lights on.

Soon after, as the sun was rising over 25A, the pickup truck slammed into his rear right, he said. Police said that Kiernan was driving east on Route 25A and "for reasons unknown at this time, veered onto the south side eastbound shoulder . . . striking the rear of the tractor trailer."

Tirado said he "heard an explosion. The impact shook the whole truck.

"I was making a delivery, doing a normal thing," he said. "The poor guy ran into the back."

He said the right side of the tractor trailer's "under-ride bar," installed to keep cars from going underneath big rigs, was bent forward by the pickup truck.

Tirado, who was not injured, said he was given a ticket for being stopped on the side of the road.

Police said he was issued a summons for no parking, stopping or standing.

The tractor trailer is registered to

Toria Truck Rental, Inc., Windsor Locks, Conn., police said.Kiernan's body was removed by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's office for autopsy, police said.

Route 25A, both east and west, near Wading River Manor Road was reopened after being closed as police investigated the crash that occurred at around 6:20 a.m., said police.Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call Riverhead Police at 631-727-4500.