Watermill, NY (July 24, 2026) – Stefanie Rock, 29, of New York City, was struck and killed by a vehicle on Deerfield Road in Watermill on July 24, 2026, according to Southampton Police. Rock was running northbound on the road when she was struck by a southbound four-door sedan. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Police said the crash occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. in the area of 970 Deerfield Road, near the intersection of Deerfield and Head of Pond roads. The driver remained at the scene and was cooperative and was transported to Southampton Hospital for evaluation. Southampton Police are investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call 631-702-2230 or 631-728-3400.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Stefanie Rock was 29 years old. Her family lost her on an early morning run, and they deserve a thorough investigation into how a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction struck and killed her.
Fatal Pedestrian Accidents in Southampton, New York
New York law requires drivers to exercise reasonable care to avoid striking pedestrians, including runners and walkers on rural roads. When a vehicle traveling in one direction strikes a pedestrian moving in the other, the positioning of the pedestrian in the roadway may be a factor, but it does not automatically eliminate the driver’s duty of care or bar the family from recovering compensation.
- Who may be liable: the driver of the sedan; and potentially the municipality if road conditions, sight lines, or a lack of pedestrian infrastructure contributed to the crash
- What attorneys examine: the vehicle’s speed at impact, the road’s width and shoulder conditions along that stretch of Deerfield Road, whether the driver’s sight line was obstructed, and any traffic or property cameras in the area
- New York follows a pure comparative fault standard. Even if any partial fault is attributed to the pedestrian, the family may still recover compensation proportional to the driver’s share of fault
- Do not speak with the driver’s insurer before consulting an attorney, and do not accept early settlement offers before the investigation concludes
New York’s wrongful death statute gives the family of Stefanie Rock two years from the date of death to bring a wrongful death claim (EPTL § 5-4.1). The crash occurred on July 24, 2026, placing the filing deadline at July 24, 2028.
Contact Our New York Pedestrian Accident Attorneys
Frekhtman & Associates has recovered more than $900 million for injured New Yorkers over 25 years of practice. Our New York pedestrian accident attorneys have handled cases where runners and walkers were struck by drivers who bore full or shared responsibility for the collision.
Dashcam footage from the sedan, road condition documentation along Deerfield Road, and Southampton Police’s investigation records are the most time-sensitive pieces of evidence in this case. Securing that material early is what a strong wrongful death case depends on.
There is no cost to speak with us, and no fee unless we recover for you.
Why New York families trust Frekhtman & Associates:
- $900M+ recovered for injured New York clients across more than 25 years of practice
- $69,225,000 auto accident jury verdict, one of the largest in New York State history
- Free 24/7 consultations, including home and hospital visits for clients unable to travel
- Personal callbacks from founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman
- Russian-language services available
- Zero fees unless we win your case
- $2,000,000 wrongful death result
