A 22-year-old man was seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle on an exit ramp off Sunrise Highway in Patchogue, according to Suffolk County Police.
The incident occurred at approximately 4:15 a.m. on the westbound Sunrise Highway exit 51 ramp. Police said Daniel Hoffmann, of Farmingdale, was standing in the middle of the ramp when he was hit by a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze driven by Dayanna Reyes-Renderos, 19, of East Patchogue.
Emergency responders transported Hoffmann to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he is being treated for what authorities described as serious injuries. His current condition has not been publicly disclosed.
Reyes-Renderos was not injured in the crash, police said. Authorities have not indicated whether any charges will be filed, and the circumstances leading up to the incident remain under investigation.
The vehicle involved in the crash was impounded for a safety check as part of standard procedure. Detectives from the Suffolk County Police Department’s Fifth Squad are continuing to investigate the events that led to Hoffmann being in the roadway at the time of the collision.
It remains unclear why Hoffmann was standing in the middle of the exit ramp in the early morning hours, a detail investigators say will be critical in determining the cause of the crash. Sunrise Highway is a major thoroughfare on Long Island, and exit ramps are not designed for pedestrian traffic, particularly in low-visibility conditions such as those present before dawn.
Police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information relevant to the investigation to come forward. Members of the public can contact the Fifth Squad at 631-854-8552.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials said additional details will be released as they become available.