Nun Dies In Chain-Reaction Crash On Sunrise Highway

WESTHAMPTON, NY — A nun died and others were injured in a chain-reaction crash Thursday afternoon on Sunrise Highway, police said.

According to New York State Police, the first, two-car crash took place at 1:42 p.m. on Sunrise Highway near Exit 63, the Westhampton exit. A 2016 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Maria E. Riviera, 39, of Yaphank struck the rear end of a 2011 Toyota Corolla driven by Sister Josephine D'Agostino, 85, of Bellmore, in the eastbound lane, police said. Sister D'Agostino died at the scene, police said. Rivera sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center, police said.

With the roadway blocked by the fatal crash, a separate collision took place when a tractor-trailer operated by John Bieber, 58, of Baiting Hollow, slowed in traffic and was struck in the rear by three vehicles driven by Olga Allende-Hernandez, 53, of Calverton, Adrian Flores-Garcia, 45, of Elmhurst, and Richard Nigro, 88, of Center Moriches, police said. Flores-Garcia and Allende-Hernandez were transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.