Police ID Three Men Killed in Crash Into Icy Pond

Police have identified the three men who died when a stolen car crashed into an icy pond in Albertson Sunday.

Joan A. Sanjuan, 29, of Central Islip; Adolph Ford, 46, of Roosevelt; and Donald Farr, 51, of Westbury, were all killed in the crash, which occurred shortly before 6 p.m, State Police said.

According to police, a state trooper was on stationary patrol on the eastbound Northern State Parkway at Exit 25 when the license plate reader in his patrol vehicle hit on a stolen 2010 Honda. The car was reported stolen out of the Village of Hempstead on Jan. 6.

The trooper immediately started to follow the car eastbound and notified dispatch and requested back-up. The car got off the Northern State Parkway and onto southbound Shelter Rock Road and then made a left onto eastbound IU Willets Road, police said.

The trooper was waiting for backup patrols to conduct a felony traffic stop when he indicated on the radio to dispatch, "I think he spotted me," police said.

The car accelerated away, illegally passed several eastbound vehicles and attempted to make a left turn onto Searingtown Road, police said.

The driver failed to make the left turn, which resulted in the car leaving the road, striking a fence and overturning in a catch basin with water depths of about 10 feet.

Initial rescue attempts were made by the trooper. The Albertson Fire Department and Nassau County Police Emergency Services Unit were on scene within minutes and performed an underwater rescue.

Sanjuan, Ford and Farr were pronounced dead at the hospital. Police did not specify who was driving the car.

Photo: Kevin Madigan