Calverton Man, 85, Dies In Crash With Dump Truck: Police

RIVERHEAD, NY — An 85-year-old man from Calverton died after a crash with a dump truck in Riverhead Wednesday, police said.

According to Riverhead Police, a 911 call came in at about 3 p.m. involving a crash at the intersection of Horton and Reeves Avenues involving a 1998 Freightliner dump truck and a 2017 Buick SUV.

Christopher Watts, 26, of Wading River, was driving the dump truck, owned by Danny's Cesspool Inc., and heading north through the intersection of Horton and Reeves Avenues when he hit the 2017 Buick SUV. The SUV, driven by Patrick Welby, 85, along with passenger Nora Raughan, 86, also from Calverton, were heading west on Reeves Avenue when struck, police said.

A preliminary investigation indicated that Welby failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Horton and Reeves Avenues, causing the crash, police said. Welby was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Raughan was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital by Suffolk County Police aviation for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Watts was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center by Riverhead Town Volunteer Ambulance Corps with minor injuries, police said.

The Riverhead Town Police Department's detective division, as well as the Suffolk County Police Department motor carrier unit and crime scene units, responded to investigate, police said. Both vehicles were impounded pending a safe check.

No charges were filed in the crash.

Roads were closed Wednesday as the investigation commenced.

Anyone with addition information is urged to call police at 631-727-4500 ext. 312. All calls will be kept confidential.