Long Island man charged with driving while impaired after crash kills construction worker

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC. Gothamist Listen Live Donate News Long Island man charged with driving while impaired after crash kills construction worker By Giulia Heyward Published Aug 10, 2026 at 4:18 p.m. ET

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Police arrested a 26-year-old Long Island man on Monday after a crash that killed one construction worker and seriously injured two others.

Suffolk County police said Thomas Lobianco drove his 1999 Toyota Camry eastbound in the westbound lane of Townline Road near the intersection with Terry Road in Nesconset early Monday morning.

Around 6:40 a.m., Lobianco allegedly drove through a red light and then onto the sidewalk, where he struck three construction workers who had been preparing for a paving project.

Police said Lobianco’s car also hit an electronic crossing sign, a utility pole and a fence.

The three men were taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where one of the construction workers — 38-year-old Joel Sicon-Porix of Mastic — was pronounced dead.

The two other workers, 30-year-old Kevin Chavez-Sarmiento of Bay Shore and 33-year-old Jose Gonzalez-Colindres of Brentwood, were admitted to the hospital with serious injuries, according to police.

Police charged Lobianco with driving while ability impaired by drugs. He is being held at the Suffolk County Police Department’s Sixth Precinct and was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in First District Court in Central Islip.

Attorney information for Lobianco was not immediately available to Gothamist.

Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.

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