Off-duty officer killed in DWI crash on Long Island: officials

Nassau police officer killed in Suffolk County crash; driver charged with DWI

A Nassau County police officer was killed in a crash in Suffolk County early Saturday, and the driver of a pickup truck was charged with driving while intoxicated, police said. Police said Officer Patricia Espinosa, 42, was driving west on Route 347 in St. James around 6:06 a.m. when a pickup truck heading north on Alexander Avenue ran a red light and struck her vehicle. Espinosa was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said. The pickup driver, identified by police as Matthew Smith, 20, of Hauppauge, and a passenger were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said. Both vehicles were impounded as the investigation continues. The Nassau County PBA identified Espinosa as a wife and mother of a 2-year-old daughter and called her a hero.

LONG ISLAND - A 20-year-old man was arrested after police say he was driving while intoxicated when he crashed into another vehicle, killing a local police officer.

What we know:

The victim, identified as 46-year-old Patricia Espinosa, was driving on Route 347 early Saturday morning when she was hit.

She was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police say the driver, 20-year-old Matthew Smith, ran a red light on Alexander Avenue before the fatal crash.

Smith was charged with driving while intoxicated after he and his passenger, John Andali, 25, were both treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital.

Dig deeper:

Espinosa was a Nassau County police officer, according to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

"Heartbroken over the passing of Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, a beloved member of the Fifth Precinct," Blakeman said in a Facebook post on Saturday. "I had the honor of marching with her in the Puerto Rican Day parade. Condolences to her husband, Police Officer Francisco Malaga, and her brother, Police Officer Christian Almeida."

Blakeman also ordered all flags to be flown at half from Monday, until the officer's burial.

What they're saying:

Nassau County PBA President Tommy Shevlin released the following statement:

"The Nassau PBA is devastated by the tragic loss of Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, a dedicated member of the Nassau County Police Department who gave her life in service to others. Officer Espinosa served with honor, courage, and compassion, and her death in a violent crash caused by a driver charged with DWI is a profound loss to our department, our county, and every community she protected."
 
"Officer Espinosa was the heart of a true law-enforcement family — her husband Francisco Malaga, and her two brothers, Christian and David Almeida, all who proudly serve as police officers — and she leaves behind a two-year-old daughter Mia, who will grow up knowing their mother was a hero. Patricia understood the sacrifices of this profession not just as an officer, but as a wife, a sister, and a mother in blue. That her life was taken in such a senseless act makes this loss even more painful. We stand shoulder to shoulder with her family and our brothers and sisters in uniform, and we will honor her legacy by never forgetting her service, her sacrifice, and the family she leaves behind."