Car Careens Into Median, 'Catapults' Into Opposite Lane: Police

MATTITUCK, NY — It was like something out of a movie.

So said Valerie DeFio, who said she was driving on Sound Avenue in Mattituck at about 2:45 p.m. when she saw a vehicle heading east veer off the road, onto the median, and appear to become "airborne. It landed in the westbound lane and stopped," she said. "It looked like a scene out of the 'Dukes of Hazzard.' It was super scary."

Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley said he stopped at the site of the incident, along with three to five other police officers; all were coming from the St. Patrick's Day parade in Cutchogue.

"It was a one-car MVA and it appeared that the driver of the van possibly dozed off, as he was not intoxicated or impaired," Flatley said.

Of DeFio's description, Flatley added: "I’m sure it did appear as described as it entered the median, dipped down, then tore up some grass/dirt as it catapulted into the opposite lane of travel."

Flatley said he believed the driver was taken to the hospital for observation but it did not appear that he was badly injured.