Two killed in separate Meadowbrook crashes

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A Freeport High School senior and a 70-year-old Elmont man died in two separate crashes on the Meadowbrook Parkway on Nov. 11, according to New York State police.

The first fatality, they said, occurred at around 7:14 p.m., when Danyel Saint-Louis, a 17-year-old starting point guard on the Freeport High School boys’ varsity basketball team, was standing outside his car and was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound on the parkway.

He had earlier lost control of his car, authorities report, and had struck the center median, before coming to a stop on the right shoulder. Several people then got out of their cars to help Saint-Louis, but a third car struck two of the pedestrians, one of their parked cars and the center median.

Saint-Louis, meanwhile, had been standing outside of his car, when he was struck by another vehicle traveling northbound, and was pronounced dead on the scene.

He had planned to continue playing basketball in college and pursue a career in nursing, according to Freeport Superintendent Kishore Kuncham. “Danyel will be remembered as someone who was well-liked with boundless energy and a positive attitude,” he said in a statement on the school district’s website, adding that the district will offer counseling to any student or staff member in need.

A second deadly collision occurred about an hour later, when Jake Lonigro, 17, of Merrick, lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center median into the southbound lanes and continued into oncoming traffic until he struck Elmont resident Jagdeo Ramdayal’s van head-on. Ramdayal’s van then struck a third vehicle that was also traveling southbound, police report, and Ramdayal died on the scene, while his passenger was transported to Mt. Sinai and South Nassau Communities Hospital with serious physical injuries.    

State Police are investigating both collisions, and ask anyone with any information to call (631) 756-3300.