Shoreham man killed in wrong-way crash on Sunrise Highway
The scene of a fatal crash on Sunrise Highway at Exit 61 in East Moriches around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Credit: James Carbone
A Shoreham man was killed in a wrong-way crash on Sunrise Highway in East Moriches Wednesday afternoon, Suffolk County police said.
In a news release Wednesday night, police said Donald Kwarta was driving a 2018 GMC Yukon west on Sunrise Highway when the vehicle crossed into the eastbound lanes at 1:32 p.m. east of Exit 61. The GMC traveled west about an eighth of a mile in the eastbound lanes and then hit a 2023 Mack truck parked on the shoulder.
Keith Schwamb, 58, the driver of the truck, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Police originally identified a different driver, before correcting the identity on Thursday afternoon.
Police said Kwarta was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead and pronounced dead.
The eastbound Sunrise Highway lanes at County Road 111 were closed for the accident investigation. The Mack truck was inspected at the scene, and the GMC was impounded for a safety check. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Seventh Squad detectives at 631-852-8752.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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