Long Island Expressway reopens at Exit 53 after report of man in roadway

The Long Island Expressway has reopened in both directions Monday evening after a 47-year-old man who appeared to be intoxicated was found at Exit 53, Suffolk County police said.

Authorities said they responded to a report of a man in the roadway on the westbound lanes of the LIE, near Exit 53 in Commack, shortly before 5 p.m.

It does not appear the man was struck by a vehicle, police said.

An earlier police report of an accident turned out to be false, authorities said.

The man was taken by Suffolk County police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.

The road reopened at 6:52 p.m.

With John Asbury

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.