Motorcyclist Dies In Southold Crash: PD

SOUTHOLD, NY — A motorcyclist died in a Southold crash Monday night, police said.

According to Southold Town police, the crash took place at about 6:04 p.m . on Route 25, in the vicinity of Port of Egypt Marine.

While responding to the scene, a Southold Town police officer observed a vehicle traveling away from the area with heavy damage, police said.

Believing that the vehicle may have been involved in the crash, the officer turned around, located the vehicle, and conducted a traffic stop, police said.

The vehicle was identified as a 2009 Honda Civic operated by Jose Perez-Perez, 58, of Greenport, which was subsequently determined to have been involved in the collision, police said.

Additional responding officers located an unresponsive man, who had been operating the motorcycle, police said.

The man, identified as Rufino Tojil-Ambrocio, 42, of Greenport, was treated and transported by the Southold Fire Department to Eastern Long Island Hospital where he was pronounced deceased, police said.

The preliminary investigation determined that Perez-Perez, who was driving the Honda Civic, was traveling westbound on Route 25 when he crossed into the opposite lane of travel and struck a motorcycle operated by Tojil-Ambrocio, who was traveling eastbound, police said.

Perez-Perez was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death without reporting, police said.

He submitted to standardized field sobriety testing, and no signs of impairment were observed, police said.

The New York State Police Department's accident reconstruction unit responded to the scene and assisted Southold Town police with the investigation, police said.

"The Southold Town Police Department extends its condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased," police said.