New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation has opened an investigation into the death of Hilton Spokony, a 45-year-old East Patchogue resident who died following a crash involving an off-duty Suffolk County police officer in Patchogue.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the collision occurred shortly after 10 p.m. on June 12 at the intersection of Waverly Avenue and Buckley Road. Investigators said Spokony was a passenger in a vehicle that turned left onto Buckley Road when it was struck by a vehicle driven by an off-duty Suffolk County Police Department officer operating a personal vehicle.
Suffolk County police previously identified the driver of the vehicle carrying Spokony as Meredith Hill, 79, of East Patchogue. Police said Hill’s 2023 Kia Forte was traveling southbound on Waverly Avenue and attempting to turn left onto Buckley Road when it collided with a northbound 2016 Dodge Ram driven by Michael Aulivola, 55, of Holtsville.
Spokony was transported to NYU Langone Hospital–Suffolk, where he was pronounced dead. Hill and Aulivola were taken to Stony Brook University Hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. Both vehicles were impounded for safety inspections as detectives continued investigating the crash.
Local reports said Spokony had just finished work and was riding home with his mother-in-law when the crash occurred. His wife later shared a public message describing the family’s shock and grief following his death.
Under Executive Law Section 70-b, the Attorney General’s Office must review incidents in which a police or peace officer, whether on duty or off duty, may have caused a person’s death. State officials emphasized that the facts released so far are preliminary and subject to change as the investigation continues.