Motorcyclist Hurt In Crash That Killed 1, Injured 7 Needs Help

NORTH FORK, NY — A motorcyclist hurt in a Long Island Expressway crash in March that left one person dead and seven injured needs help.

A GoFundMe page, "Scott's Road To Recovery," was created by his girlfriend Megan Van Gorden of Southold. To donate, click here.

"As many of you may know, on March 31 my boyfriend was in a very serious motorcycle accident on the LIE where he was hit heading eastbound by an impaired driver who came barreling across the median and struck him," Van Gorden wrote. "He was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital and rushed into emergency surgery in order to save his leg. Scott came out from surgery with a rod in his leg as well as a wound vac sealing the open wounds, as they were not able to close due to the severity of the compartment syndrome."

On April 9, she said, the wound was closed, with an antibacterial cement spacer used to create room for the bone graft procedure to follow.

As well as a shattered femur he also sustained other injuries including a fractured tibia plateau, compartment syndrome, two broken bones in the hand and a fractured scapula; he received surgery on his hand for the two broken bones resulting in a plate and two pins, she said.

He was discharged from Stony Brook on April 20 after three weeks and was transferred to St. Charles Rehabilitation for a week in order to gain the fundamentals to go home prior to his next surgery, she said.

"For those of you who do not know Scott, he is the most selfless and humble person I have ever met. He is always doing the right thing and working hard to get ahead. I have created this page in efforts to help the Reece family during this very hard time," she said. "While Scott is doing better and is home he will require extensive therapy for both the hand and leg. . .Anything you can donate to Scott and his family is greatly appreciated as this will be a very long and hard road for Scott."

In early May, charges were upgraded against the man involved in a Long Island Expressway crash in March that left one dead and seven injured, Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini announced.

Peter Visconti, Jr., 37, of Mastic, was allegedly driving while impaired by drugs at the time of the crash.

Visconti was arraigned on a 20-count indictment, including aggravated vehicular homicide, second degree manslaughter, second degree vehicular manslaughter, aggravated vehicular assault, four counts of second degree assault, and four counts of second degree vehicular assault, all felonies, Sini said.

"This was a tragic incident that could have been avoided if not for the reckless actions of the defendant," Sini said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, several of whom are still recovering from their injuries, and the family of the deceased. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office will do everything in our power to hold this individual accountable for the pain and suffering he caused."

Visconti was also charged with three counts of third degree assault, first degree operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, reckless driving, second degree reckless endangerment, and third degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, all misdemeanors.

At 3:30 p.m. on March 31, Visconti was driving a 2004 Ford pickup truck westbound on the Long Island Expressway near William Floyd Parkway in Shirley when he struck a 2011 Honda minivan; he was driving erratically and had veered off the road twice prior to the crash, Sini said.

Visconti's truck crossed over the median and onto the eastbound lanes where it struck a motorcycle and a 2013 Toyota minivan, Sini said. The force of the impact caused the side panel from the minivan to become impaled on Visconti's truck, the DA added.

A passenger in the Toyota minivan was pronounced dead at the Long Island Medical Center in East Patchogue following the crash, and the other six passengers in the van, who were all visiting from China, were injured in the crash and transported to area hospitals, Sini said. Three of the passengers suffered serious physical injuries, Sini said.

The motorcyclist also suffered serious physical injury; the passengers in the Honda minivan did not receive medical treatment, Sini said.

Visconti was transported to Brookhaven Hospital for treatment of minor injuries; while there, he was interviewed at the hospital by a drug recognition expert from the Suffolk County Police Department who determined Visconti was exhibiting signs of being impaired by a drug, Sini said.

Visconti consented to a blood test, which tested positive for alprazolam, or Xanax, and cocaine, Sini said.

Sini was also driving with a suspended license at the time of the crash, Sini said.

Bail was set at the arraignment by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho at $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond, Sini said.

Patch photo courtesy GoFundMe. Mugshot courtesy Suffolk County Police.