Drunk Man Hits 4 Cars While Driving Crane On LIE: Cops

HAUPPAUGE, NY - A Riverhead man was arrested for driving while intoxicated after the crane he was driving hit several cars on the Long Island Expressway just west of exit 57 on Tuesday night, according to Suffolk Police.

Brian Sinclair, 47, was operating a 2000 Liebherr crane eastbound on the LIE in Ronkonkoma when it struck a 1999 Nissan Altima, driven by a 26-year-old man, at 6:20 p.m., police said.

The crane then struck a 2015 Jeep Cherokee driven by a 61-year-old man, a 2008 Honda Civic driven by a 22-year-old woman and a 2018 Toyota RAV4 driven by a 53-year-old man, police said.

All of the vehicles were heading eastbound at the time of the crash.

Sinclair then fled the scene and was spotted driving erratically near exit 60 by a Highway Patrol officer, police said.

The crane slowed down but did not fully stop.

The officer jumped into the passenger compartment and ordered the driver to stop. Sinclair stopped the vehicle near exit 63, police said.

The officer sustained minor injuries and was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital.

The driver of the Nissan sustained minor injuries and was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital. The driver of the Jeep refused medical attention.

The driver of the Honda was transported to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, with minor injuries and the driver of the Toyota was also transported to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, with minor injuries.

Sinclair was arrested and charged with DWI and leaving the scene of an accident, police said.

The crane was impounded.

Image: SCPD