Car plows into construction crew on Long Island, killing 1 and injuring 2

A car plowed into a road crew on Long Island on Monday morning, killing one worker and seriously injuring two others, Suffolk County police said. 

Thomas Lobianco, 26, of Lake Ronkonkoma, who was allegedly behind the wheel, was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired.

Here's what police say happened 

A 911 call at 6:43 a.m. reported a car crash involving pedestrians at the intersection of Terry Road and Townline Road, police said. 

Road workers hadn't even started their workday and weren't even on the road they were set to pave. They were on the sidewalk when, according to witnesses, a car came barreling down Terry Road, crossed into the oncoming lane, and jumped the sidewalk. It then struck the three workers, who had their backs to the oncoming vehicle.

Coworkers gave CPR to 38-year-old Joel Sicon-Porix, of Mastic, but he died at Stony brook University Hospital. 

The other two, identified as Kevin Chavez-Sarmiento, 30, of Bay Shore, and Jose Gonzalez-Colindres, 33, of Brentwood, were admitted with serious injuries. 

"He was driving at a high rate of speed and also went through a red light," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said of the accused.

Police said Lobianco sat in his car for 20 minutes in a 7-Eleven parking lot before the crash, allegedly ingesting cannabis. He was not injured in the crash.

Lobianco is to be arraigned on Tuesday, police said.  

"Someone lost their life today and two others were severely injured, so it's terrible and that kind of behavior on the roadway is not going to be tolerated by us," Catalina said.

"It's tragic"

Hard hats and car parts littered the curb at the intersection after the crash. 

Rosemar Construction was contracted by Suffolk County to pave the road. 

"This driver just came out of nowhere," Rosemar safety director Kevin Daponte said. "He hit the curb. He hit the light pole, and then hit our workers." 

Daponte had a message for the driving public. 

"It's tragic. You come to work, you don't even get on the road yet when this happened," Daponte said. "Everything has repercussions. If you're going out, doing something with your friends and family, you shouldn't be behind the wheel. I don't know what his condition was, but he was taken away in handcuffs."

Coworkers called Sicon-Porix a great employee, adding he had been with the company for a very long time and will be missed.