Driver struck, killed after running red light, Riverhead police say

A 61-year-old man from Coram was killed in a two-car collision Thursday morning in Calverton, Riverhead Town Police said.

Police said Leonor Parra-Nunez was driving a 1997 Nissan Maxima northbound on Burman Boulevard when he ran a red light at Route 25 and his car was struck by an eastbound 2010 Chevrolet Equinox at 6:14 a.m.

The intersection is at the entrance to Calverton Enterprise Park, police said.

Police said both vehicles were "heavily damaged" and Parra-Nunez had to be extricated by members of the Wading-River Fire Department before being taken by Riverhead Ambulance to Peconic Bay Medical Center, where he later died of his injuries. The other driver, identified by police as Rolando Ajcuc-Chamale, 33, of Calverton, was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center by the Ridge Fire Department and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said the intersection was closed for several hours for investigation by the Riverhead Detective Division and the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Team — an investigation that determined Parra-Nunez had failed to stop at the red light. No charges have been filed, but police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call detectives at 631-727-4500.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”