Oyster Bay Man Charged With DWI After Serious LIE Crash: Police

OYSTER BAY, NY — An Oyster Bay man was charged with driving while intoxicated after a Wednesday morning crash that seriously injured a tow truck driver, authorities said.

The crash happened around 4:05 a.m. on the Long Island Expressway in Hauppauge.

Suffolk County police say Joseph Savasta, 57, was driving west on the LIE, near Exit 56, when his vehicle struck a flatbed tow truck. Savasta's vehicle overturned and came to rest next to the median, while the tow truck veered off the right side of the highway — coming to a stop in a wooded area.

The tow truck driver — 37-year-old Christopher Francis — was ejected from the vehicle. The Medford resident was airlifted via police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital where he is listed in critical condition, officials said.

Savasta was treated for minor injuries and arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, officials added. He is due in First District Court on Thursday.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555.