Candles To 'Light The Night' On 2nd Anniversary Of Long Island Motorcyclist Killed In Crash

LONG ISLAND, NY — A Long Island mom is preparing this week for a candlelight vigil on Friday to remember her son on the second anniversary of the day he died in a motorcycle crash two years ago.

"He had just gotten engaged when he was killed," Samantha Vogel, of Mount Sinai told Patch Friday.

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Twenty-year-old Logan Vogel was killed in a motorcycle crash on Aug. 21, 2024.

His motorcycle crashed into the side of an eastbound 2017 Toyota Prius, as the driver was turning left onto Oakland Avenue, just before 10 p.m., Suffolk police said at the time.

It happened at the intersection of Route 25A and Oakland Avenue in Miller Place, as Vogel was riding his Suzuki GSX-R600 west on Route 25A, according to police.

He was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner, police said.

The Toyota's driver, a 49-year-old woman from Sound Beach, was not hurt, and no charges were filed, according to police.

Both Vogel's Suzuki and the Toyota were impounded for safety checks, police said.

The stretch of roadway of Route 25A corridor, from Route 347 to William Floyd Parkway, is notorious for vehicle crashes, some of them fatal, causing the concern of nearby residents.

The county of Suffolk itself has seen an uptick in motorcycle crashes this summer, which is not uncommon for the time of year because the weather is better for riding.

Samantha noted that there have been at least four fatal crashes that she had read of in recent weeks that caused her concern.

"There's so many," she said, adding that crashes involving left-hand turns are the most common.

Vogel was a careful motorcycle rider."The weird thing is that he didn't do so well on his regular license, but he passed his motorcycling test permit," Samantha said.

She plans to host a candlelight vigil Friday at 9 p.m. for family, friends, and members of the community to come together.

Over the last two years, the location where he died has become somewhat of a pilgrimage spot for friends and the community, who leave flowers and candles under a sign with his name painted on it.

The first vigil last year drew close to 100 people. She is inviting everyone who knew and loved her son, as well as members of our community, who may not have known him personally, to join her family as they remember and honor him.

This year's vigil will not only include candles, but balloons will be released.

"We're just meeting at the crash site, and just having candles," she said. "I call it light the night because you know it might rain that night."

Vogel was a mechanic who was well-known in the motorcycle community. Motors were his passion since his first interest at seven years old. He loved fixing them, and then trying them out.

"I want justice for my son," Samantha said. "I want community support, and I want that road to be a little safer for everybody, not just motorcyclists."

"It's crazy," she added.