Deer Park EMT Critically Injured While Helping At Islip Terrace Crash: Police

ISLIP TERRACE, NY — A Deer Park man who stopped to help motorists involved in a crash was critically injured Wednesday morning when another collision occurred at the scene, Suffolk County police said.

Michael Merkle, 44, a certified emergency medical technician, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital in critical condition following the crash on the westbound Sunrise Service Road, east of Wilson Boulevard, police said.

A 2010 Ford and a 2015 Chevrolet were involved in an initial crash around 8 a.m., police said.

Merkle, who was driving a 2018 Dodge Ram, and Brendan Lahti, who was driving a 2021 Dodge Ram, stopped to assist the motorists involved in the crash.

Around 8:05 a.m., a 2019 Dodge Ram struck the rear of Lahti's vehicle, causing it to strike Merkle's truck, police said.

Merkle and Lahti, who were outside their vehicles, were both struck. Detectives are investigating which vehicle struck the two men, police said.

Lahti was transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The female driver of the Chevrolet involved in the initial crash was treated for minor injuries. The driver of the 2019 Dodge Ram and the driver of the Ford were not injured, police said.

Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are investigating the crash.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6553.