NASSAU COUNTY, NY - A police officer with the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) was killed in a crash involving a suspected drunk driver while on her way to work.
The officer, 42-year-old Patricia Espinosa, was driving a 2019 Alfa Romeo westbound on Route 37 in Suffolk County at 6:06 a.m. local time on Saturday, January 31, when the incident occurred, according to a press release from the Suffolk County Police.
The other driver, 20-year-old Matthew Smith of Hauppauge, New York, was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado northbound on Alexander Avenue when he failed to stop at a red light and struck Espinosa's vehicle. The officer was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Smith and his passenger, John Andali, 25, of Centereach, were both transported to the same hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, PEOPLE reported.
Smith has since been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI). Both vehicles involved in the fatal crash have been impounded, and an investigation is underway. Following Espinosa's tragic death, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from Monday, February 2, until the late officer's burial.
"Heartbroken over the passing of Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, a beloved member of the Fifth Precinct," Blakeman wrote on social media. "I had the honor of marching with her in the Puerto Rican Day parade. Condolences to her husband Police Officer Francisco Malaga and her brother Police Officer Christian Almedia."
His tribute was accompanied by a photo of himself posing with a group of police officers at the parade, including Espinosa, who had worked for the NCPD since 2017.
On Facebook, Tommy Shevlin, president of the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, said that Espinosa was a "dedicated" police officer who "served with honor, courage, and compassion."
"Her death in a violent crash caused by a driver charged with DWI is a profound loss to our department, our county, and every community she protected," he wrote. Espinosa leaves behind a two-year-old daughter, named Mia, "who will grow up knowing her mother was a hero," Shevlin said.
"Patricia understood the sacrifices of this profession not just as an officer, but as a wife, a sister, and a mother in blue," he wrote. "That her life was taken in such a senseless act makes this loss even more painful."
Shevlin concluded: "We stand shoulder to shoulder with her family and our brothers and sisters in uniform, and we will honor her legacy by never forgetting her service, her sacrifice, and the family she leaves behind."
The Nassau County Police Medic Association also shared a tribute to Espinosa, saying: "We mourn the loss of Nassau County Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, who was tragically killed this morning in an auto accident while on her way into work. Office Espinosa, a beloved member of the 5th Precinct, was a dedicated public servant and cherished colleague, serving her community with courage and compassion."
The Suffolk County Police are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6553.
The officer, 42-year-old Patricia Espinosa, was driving a 2019 Alfa Romeo westbound on Route 37 in Suffolk County at 6:06 a.m. local time on Saturday, January 31, when the incident occurred, according to a press release from the Suffolk County Police.
The other driver, 20-year-old Matthew Smith of Hauppauge, New York, was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado northbound on Alexander Avenue when he failed to stop at a red light and struck Espinosa's vehicle. The officer was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Smith and his passenger, John Andali, 25, of Centereach, were both transported to the same hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, PEOPLE reported.
Smith has since been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI). Both vehicles involved in the fatal crash have been impounded, and an investigation is underway. Following Espinosa's tragic death, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from Monday, February 2, until the late officer's burial.
"Heartbroken over the passing of Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, a beloved member of the Fifth Precinct," Blakeman wrote on social media. "I had the honor of marching with her in the Puerto Rican Day parade. Condolences to her husband Police Officer Francisco Malaga and her brother Police Officer Christian Almedia."
His tribute was accompanied by a photo of himself posing with a group of police officers at the parade, including Espinosa, who had worked for the NCPD since 2017.
On Facebook, Tommy Shevlin, president of the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, said that Espinosa was a "dedicated" police officer who "served with honor, courage, and compassion."
"Her death in a violent crash caused by a driver charged with DWI is a profound loss to our department, our county, and every community she protected," he wrote. Espinosa leaves behind a two-year-old daughter, named Mia, "who will grow up knowing her mother was a hero," Shevlin said.
"Patricia understood the sacrifices of this profession not just as an officer, but as a wife, a sister, and a mother in blue," he wrote. "That her life was taken in such a senseless act makes this loss even more painful."
Shevlin concluded: "We stand shoulder to shoulder with her family and our brothers and sisters in uniform, and we will honor her legacy by never forgetting her service, her sacrifice, and the family she leaves behind."
The Nassau County Police Medic Association also shared a tribute to Espinosa, saying: "We mourn the loss of Nassau County Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, who was tragically killed this morning in an auto accident while on her way into work. Office Espinosa, a beloved member of the 5th Precinct, was a dedicated public servant and cherished colleague, serving her community with courage and compassion."
The Suffolk County Police are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6553.
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