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Yonkers Police Sgt. Frank Gualdino killed in multi-vehicle crash on Tuckahoe Road, teen driver in critical condition

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Yonkers Police releases dash cam video of crash that killed sergeant 03:08

YONKERS, N.Y. -- A veteran Yonkers police sergeant was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Thursday. 

According to investigators, Sgt. Frank Gualdino was driving on Tuckahoe Road near the Sprain Brook Parkway overpass at around 4 p.m. when the driver of a BMW suddenly lost control, crossed into the opposite lanes and slammed into the sergeant's vehicle and a Westchester County Bee-Line bus. 

Gualdino, 53, was on-duty and in an unmarked car at the time, police said. He was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead. 

Friday, police said an unlicensed 16-year-old was behind the wheel of the BMW and that he remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The bus driver and about 30 passengers are expected to be OK. 

Check this live blog for updates.

 

Funeral arrangements announced for Sgt. Gualdino

Funeral services announced for Yonkers sergeant killed in crash 00:36

Funeral arrangements were announced Saturday for 53-year-old Sgt. Frank Gualdino.

The wake will be held Tuesday from 2-9 p.m. at Whalen and Ball Funeral Home.

The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church.

Gualdino served 24 years with Yonkers Police and was planning to retire next year.

By CBS New York Team
 

Family, fellow officers return to scene of fatal crash

Yonkers Police releases dash cam video of crash that killed sergeant 03:08

Yonkers motorcycle cops returned to the crash scene Friday to honor one their own as family members of Sgt. Frank Gualdino spent a somber half hour visiting the spot where their loved one died. 

"Yesterday we lost someone who was a friend, a sergeant, a decorated officer, good family man," Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said. 

Gualdino was married to Lisa, and a father to Emily and Mark. He was just nine months away from retirement. 

Chopper 2 was over the scene Thursday after a teenager driving a BMW M5 smashed into Gualdino's police car at a high rate of speed. Dashcam video shows the $150,000 sports car recklessly skidding - the video stops at the moment of impact. 

"You have a 16-year-old unlicensed driver in a fast sports car. This became weaponized, the sports car. This isn't a routine accident, this isn't negligence where our sergeant was doing something he shouldn't have been doing. This is a 16-year-old kid driving recklessly and as a result someone has died," said Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza.

The circumstances, involving a teen driver, is drawing strong reactions. 

"It's a shame when they're unsupervised and they're so young," said Yonkers resident Barbara Clark. 

"Tragic story, and unfortunately it's what teenagers do, and parents have to try to safeguard their keys to their vehicles," said Yonkers resident Marcel Stevenson. 

Sad symbols of grief now punctuate police uniforms and buildings in Yonkers: Flags at half staff, bunting at the first precinct where Gualdino served with distinction. 

"Frank is a close friend and he's a cop's cop. This is the most horrible loss that we've sustained," Sapienza said. 

By Tony Aiello
 

Sgt. Gualdino remembered as "the epitome of Yonkers Finest"

sgt-frank-gualdino.jpg
Sgt. Frank Gualdino.  Twitter/YonkersPD

"Our hearts are heavy as the City of Yonkers has experienced an insurmountable loss. Sergeant Frank Gualdino was a cop's cop and the epitome of Yonkers Finest. Yonkers is a close tight-knit community and when we lose one member of our law enforcement community, we all feel a sense of grief. Frank was someone we all knew and loved. He was a friend and a family man – the best of all of us and the best of Yonkers. May God protect Frank on his final journey and watch over wife, Lisa and children Emily and Mark. Rest easy, Frank. You are Yonkers Strong," said Mayor Mike Spano. 

"There are no words to assuage the pain and anguish Frank's family and the Yonkers Police community are experiencing right now. We lost one of our best – Frank was a dear friend to us all and everything a father, husband, and cop should be. We miss him dearly, and will do everything in our power to support his family and each other. Godspeed, Frank!" said Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza. 

By CBS New York Team
 

Sgt. Gualdino leaves behind wife, 2 kids

Video shows moment teen lost control, crashed into Yonkers sergeant's unmarked car 02:30

New video shows the devastating moment a speeding 16-year-old driver careened into oncoming traffic and ultimately killed a veteran police sergeant in Yonkers. 

Sgt. Frank Gualdino, a 24-year member of the force, was set to retire in August, police said. The flag outside Yonkers Police Headquarters was flying at half staff in his honor, CBS2's Zinnia Maldonado reported Friday. 

Police said a 16-year-old with a learner's permit was driving a BMW at a high rate of speed on Tuckahoe Road near the Sprain Brook Parkway overpass when he crossed into oncoming traffic, slamming into Gualdino's car and a Westchester County Bee-Line bus. 

Gualdino, 53, was on duty in an unmarked car at the time. He leaves behind a wife, a daughter and a son.

"Yesterday we lost someone who was a friend, sergeant, a decorated officer, good family man, a head of just a prestigious unit in traffic. Somebody that was very, very well respected by the police officers of this department, by the community he serves," said Mayor Mike Spano. 

"Frank was a great guy, he was a personal friend. He was an asset to this job. He was a credit to this job and he was a credit to the community, and this is a tragic, tragic loss," said Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza. 

So far, police are calling this crash a case of reckless driving, but the investigation is ongoing. The teen is fighting for his life at the hospital, police said.

By Zinnia Maldonado
 

Watch: Yonkers officials give update on crash

Yonkers officials give update on crash that killed veteran police sergeant 14:06
By CBS New York Team
 

Police: Unlicensed 16-year-old driver lost control, crashed into sergeant's car

Police officials said Friday an unlicensed 16-year-old driver caused the crash that killed Sgt. Frank Gualdino on Thursday. 

During a news conference Friday, officials said the teen had a learner's permit for approximately two weeks before the crash. 

"It looks like, basically reckless driving. You have a 16-year-old with a learner's permit, without a driver's license, driving at an extreme high rate of speed in a very fast car," said Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza. "He was in a BMW M5, which is an extremely fast sports car that he apparently couldn't handle."

Police said the teen lost control, crossed into the opposite lanes and slammed into the sergeant's vehicle and a Westchester County Bee-Line bus. 

After the crash, Gualdino was pronounced dead at the hospital. The teen remains hospitalized in critical condition. 

By CBS New York Team
 

Yonkers Police update expected Friday morning

Crash that killed Yonkers Police sergeant under investigation 02:06

The Yonkers Police Department is expected to give an update Friday on the tragic crash that claimed the life of a police sergeant. We're expecting to learn more at around 11 a.m., CBS2's Zinnia Maldonado reported. 

You can watch the news conference live on CBS News New York

Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the multi-car crash Thursday near the Sprain Brook Parkway, and the name of the sergeant has not yet been released. 

Late Thursday night, there was a somber police procession outside Jacobi Medical Center after officers learned one of their brothers in blue lost his life. We're told he was a 24-year veteran of the force. 

According to investigators, the sergeant was driving on Tuckahoe Road near the Sprain Brook Parkway overpass at around 4 p.m. when the driver of a BMW suddenly lost control, crossed into the opposite lanes and slammed into the sergeant's vehicle and a Westchester County Bee-Line bus. 

Police said the sergeant was on-duty and in an unmarked car at the time. The sergeant was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said the loss of the officer hits the city's entire community. 

"We're all feeling the loss today. Police officers are feeling the loss, and the community is. Our condolences go out to the family of this officer. It goes out to the Yonkers family of the young man who was also part of this accident, in critical condition as well. It's a real tragic night all around," said Spano. 

Detectives said the BMW driver was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition. 

The bus driver and about 30 passengers are expected to be OK. 

By Zinnia Maldonado
 

24-year veteran of Yonkers Police Department killed in crash while on duty

24-year veteran of Yonkers Police Department killed in crash 02:26

A 24-year veteran of the Yonkers Police Department was killed in a crash while on duty Thursday.

There was a somber police procession at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx after officers learned one of their brothers in blue lost his life.

Investigators say just before 4 p.m., a police sergeant, whose name isn't being released yet, was driving on Tuckahoe Road near the Sprain Brook Parkway overpass in Westchester County when suddenly, the driver of a BMW apparently lost control, crossed into the opposite lanes and slammed into the sergeant's vehicle and a Westchester County Bee-Line bus.

As CBS2's Jennifer Bisram reports, we're told the sergeant was on-duty at the time and in an unmarked police vehicle.

He was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where police say he took his last breath.

Detectives say the driver of the BMW was also rushed to the hospital. He remains in critical condition.

As for the bus driver and the passengers on the bus, they're all expected to be OK.

Police say the cause of the accident remains under investigation.

The department asking you keep the sergeant's family in your thoughts and prayers.

By Jennifer Bisram
 

Yonkers Police sergeant pronounced dead after crash

Yonkers police sergeant killed in multi-vehicle crash 01:48

The Yonkers Police Department says a sergeant has been pronounced dead after a multi-vehicle crash Thursday.

It happened on Tuckahoe Road at the Sprain Brook Parkway overpass around 3:30 p.m.

Police say the sergeant was driving an unmarked police vehicle westbound on Tuckahoe Road when the driver of a BMW sedan traveling eastbound apparently lost control, crossed into westbound lanes and struck the sergeant's vehicle and a Westchester County Bee-Line bus.

The sergeant was taken to a local trauma center, where he died from his injuries. Police are not yet releasing his identity, but they say he was a 24-year veteran of the department.

No one else was in the police vehicle.

The driver of the BMW was also taken to a local trauma center in critical condition. No one else was in the vehicle with him.

The bus driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries and several bus passengers were treated at the scene for minor injuries. There were about 30 people on the bus at the time of the crash.

The investigation is ongoing.

Tuckahoe Road is closed in both directions.

By CBS New York Team
 

Yonkers officer in critical condition

A Yonkers police officer involved in a multi-vehicle crash in Westchester County is said to be fighting for his life, CBS2's Jennifer Bisram reported Thursday night.

Chopper 2 was over the horrific scene on the Tuckahoe Road overpass above the Sprain Brook Parkway. Two cars and a Bee-Line Bus were involved in the accident.

Sources: Police officer critically injured in car crash in Yonkers 01:24

The officer was taken to Jacobi Medical Center.

Yonkers police say due to the ongoing investigation there are widespread road closures in the area. 

By Jennifer Bisram
 

Chopper 2 over the scene

Crews respond to accident on Tuckahoe Road in Yonkers 01:19
By CBS New York Team
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