Mother Arrested After Crash Critically Injures Her Child: Cops

RIVERHEAD, NY — The Riverhead mother of a 4-year old girl critically injured in a Flanders crash Thursday was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, police said.

According to New York State Police, at 11:40 a.m., Southampton Town Police received a call regarding a crash on Flanders Road.

Amy Wesolowski, 34, was driving a 2005 Toyota RAV4 with her daughter, Gracelyn Perkowski, 4, when the car collided with a 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan driven by Sonya Fezza, 29, of Water Mill, police said.

Wesolowski was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, a misdemeanor, endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, and aggravated DWI with child, a felony, and was held for morning arraignment, police said.

Both drivers were taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment and have been released; the child was taken first to Peconic Bay Medical Center and then to Stony Brook University Hospital in critical condition, police said.

Officials said Southampton Town Animal Control Officer Colleen Kidd, "quickly sprang into action" and saved the little girl's life.

Kidd, a former volunteer EMS provider and new member of the Town of Southampton's department of public safety and emergency management animal control division, as well as animal control officer Mike Lorenz, were nearby when the two-car crash took place, town officials said.

After hearing the crash, both raced to the scene, Public Safety and Emergency Management Administrator Ryan Murphy said. Bystanders pulled "an unresponsive child" from one of the vehicles; Kidd began immediately performing CPR, he said.

Kidd continued performing CPR on the child and was joined by Lorenz, who directed traffic around the scene to help maintain safety until police arrived, as well, officials said.

The child was transported to the hospital by Flanders-Northampton Volunteer Ambulance, who continued work to resuscitate the child.

Both Southampton Town and New York State Police responded to the scene.

Flanders Road was closed for hours between Long Neck Boulevard and Pleasure Drive, police said.

The crash is still under investigation and New York State Police are asking anyone with information to call 631-756-3300.