Suffolk County Police arrested a Manorville man on drug-impaired driving and drug possession charges after a crash on the Long Island Expressway in Melville early Sunday that seriously injured a pedestrian, police said.
Police said Cristian Guevara, 28, was driving a 2019 Honda Civic eastbound on the LIE near Exit 50 at about 5:50 a.m. Sept. 13 when he struck Paven Putt Bhat, 27, of Center Moriches.
According to police, Bhat had been driving a 2025 Nissan Altima eastbound in the HOV lane when his vehicle struck the median. Police said Bhat exited the vehicle to check for damage and was then struck by the Honda.
Bhat was transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip with serious injuries, police said.
Police said Guevara and his passenger, John Hurtado-Conde, 31, of Flanders, were found to be in possession of narcotics.
Guevara was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, and two counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia in the second degree, police said.
Hurtado-Conde was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, and two counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia in the second degree, police said.
Both men were to be held overnight at the Suffolk County Police Department’s Third Precinct for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on Sept. 14, police said.
Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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