Melville, NY (September 13, 2026) – A man suffered serious injuries after being struck by a car while inspecting damage from an earlier crash on the Long Island Expressway, according to Suffolk County police.
Police said 27-year-old Paven Bhat was driving in the HOV lane near Exit 50 around 6 a.m. on September 13 when he struck the median. While Bhat was outside his vehicle inspecting the damage, he was struck by a car driven by 28-year-old Cristian Guevara, police said.
Investigators say Guevara was driving while impaired by drugs at the time of the crash. Guevara and his passenger, John Hurtado-Conde, were also allegedly found in possession of narcotics, according to police.
Police shut down the eastbound lanes near Exit 49 for several hours while they investigated, reopening them around noon. Guevara and Hurtado-Conde face multiple drug-related charges and were expected to be arraigned the following Monday.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Drugged Driving Accidents in Melville, NY
A driver impaired by drugs owes the same duty of care to everyone else on the road as any sober driver.
- New York treats drug-impaired driving the same as alcohol-impaired driving under its DWI and DWAI statutes, and a criminal charge does not resolve a separate civil claim
- Toxicology results and the drugs recovered from the vehicle typically become central evidence in both the criminal case and a civil claim
- A driver who strikes someone already stopped on the shoulder after an unrelated first crash faces liability for that second, separate collision
Under New York law, an injured person generally has three years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim (CPLR § 214), with a filing deadline of September 13, 2029.
Contact Our New York Drugged Driving Accident Attorneys
Getting struck by a second driver while you’re still dealing with the first crash is the kind of thing that leaves a person shaken and unsure what to do next. Bhat’s injuries and his recovery shouldn’t be an afterthought to the criminal case against Guevara.
Our New York drugged driving accident attorneys have recovered a $69,225,000 auto accident jury verdict, one of the largest in New York State history, and know how to build a civil claim alongside an ongoing criminal prosecution.
The toxicology results and the narcotics recovered from Guevara’s vehicle are part of the criminal case file now, and getting ahead of how that evidence gets used in a civil claim matters early.
We work on contingency, so there’s no cost to speak with us and nothing owed unless we recover for you.
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