Flags Flown At Half-Staff For Fallen East Northport NYPD Officer

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON, NY — All flags on Town of Huntington properties were directed by Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci to be flown at half-staff to honor fallen NYPD officer Anastasios Tsakos, 43, of East Northport, according to a news release.

Tsakos was struck and killed by a woman accused of driving drunk on the Long Island Expressway early Tuesday, authorities said. The officer was directing traffic at another fatal crash when he was struck by Jessica Beauvais, 32, of Hempstead, police said.

"Officer Tsakos was taken from his family and our community far too soon, making the ultimate sacrifice while answering the call of duty," Lupinacci stated. "May Officer Tsakos’ death serve to remind us of both the risk all law enforcement officers make to keep our communities safe and to never drink and drive."

Tsakos leaves behind a wife and two young children.

Beauvais faces a slew of charges in connection to the crash, including vehicular manslaughter.

Tsakos — a 14-year NYPD veteran — was assigned to divert traffic from the scene of a fatal single-car crash about 12:30 a.m., NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said.

A 2013 Volkswagen driven by Beauvais headed east on the highway at about 1 a.m., swerved to avoid other cars, veered toward Tsakos and struck him "head-on" while he was directing traffic, Shea said.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said the county's thoughts and prayers are with Tsakos's family in a Facebook post.

"This devastating news serves as a chilling reminder that law enforcement personnel leave their homes each day to protect and serve, not knowing what dangers and difficulties await them," Bellone stated. "Police Officers are called upon to assist their neighbors, save lives, and solve crimes in some of the most challenging situations imaginable day and night to protect and serve our communities."

Beauvais faces two counts of vehicular manslaughter, reckless endangerment, fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, leaving an accident resulting in death, aggravated unlicensed operators, operating a motor vehicle at .08 percent alcohol, first-offense driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, driving without a license, an emergency vehicle right-of-way violation, colliding with an emergency vehicle and driving while ability impaired by alcohol, authorities said.

"We see here a horrendous pattern — people doing the wrong thing and other people dead because of it," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in an early morning press conference. "And one of them a hero officer who did everything right in his life for us and he is dead because of other people's negligence."