Motorcyclist killed on LIE in Ronkonkoma, cops say

An upstate man was killed when his motorcycle collided with a Jeep on the westbound Long Island Expressway late Sunday night in Ronkonkoma, Suffolk County Police said.

Police said Scott Dawes, Jr., 27, of Franklin, in the Catskills region, was riding his 2017 Harley-Davidson in the right lane of the LIE when he struck the rear of a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee near Exit 60, Ronkonkoma Avenue, at about 10:40 p.m.

Police said as a result of the collision Dawes was "ejected into the HOV lane" where he was struck by a 2012 Honda.

Dawes was pronounced dead at the scene by EMTs in an ambulance crew from the Ronkonkoma Fire Department, police said.

Police said neither of the other drivers was injured.

The accident closed the westbound LIE for hours between Exit 61 and Exit 60.

The incident was the second fatal motorcycle accident in Suffolk in a 25-hour span, with a 43-year-old East Northport man, Lavell Jones, killedwhen police said he lost control of his 2021 Kawasaki and crashed into a pole on westbound Jericho Turnpike, east of Elwood Road, at 9:53 p.m. Saturday.

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.”