LI Cop Killed In Crash Remembered For Overcoming Adversity

SELDEN, NY — Colleagues in law enforcement remembered an off-duty Long Island police officer killed in a car crash early Monday morning for the courage he showed before his return to work after battling cancer.

Suffolk police said off-duty Officer Vincent Pelliccio was driving a 2021 Jeep northbound on Nicolls Road, near West Road in Selden when the vehicle left the roadway and crashed in the median at about 12:40 a.m. The 30-year-old Ronkonkoma resident was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Pelliccio started his career as a teacher, but decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, a retired New York Police Department detective, and joined Suffolk in 2014. He had been assigned to the 3rd Precinct where he was remembered as a dedicated police officer who overcame adversity and continued serving the people of Suffolk.

“His perseverance and unwavering commitment to his calling as a police officer is inspirational," said Insp. John Rowan. "Vinny will be missed but not forgotten by this command.”

In 2019, Pelliccio received Suffolk's Theodore Roosevelt Police Award, which is given to officers who overcome serious injury, disease, or disability and return to work, for showing a "steadfast drive to return to work" after recovering from cancer in 2018, officials stated on the Theodore Roosevelt Association's website.

When Pelliccio was 26 years old in September 2017, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread and "bravely faced the disease with the same positive attitude and determination" that he showed daily at the 3rd Precinct, officials said.

He went through "intensive treatment," including radiation and chemotherapy, and it took its toll on his physical condition — he lost weight, lost his hair, and suffered significant weakness, officials said, adding that he still regularly visited his job to stay connected and "voice his unwavering desire to return to duty in his busy sector car.”

Pelliccio also underwent surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his stomach, "and bravely forged forward with remarkable fortitude, working diligently in the subsequent months to regain his strength," officials said.

He returned to full duty in his Central Islip sector in March 2018 and "his work ethic and job performance" earned him a position on the 3rd Precinct's Gang Task Force, where he worked as a plainclothes officer, according to officials.

"The courage and determination exemplified by Officer Pellicio throughout his battle with cancer, along with his steadfast drive to return to work, was a true inspiration to all members of the Suffolk County Police Department," officials said.

Pelliccio was named Cop of the Month in April 2020, along with Police Officer Anthony Devincenzo, after arresting "a violent gang member and drug dealer" the previous September, police said.

They had been monitoring a known drug and gang location in North Bay Shore, and saw the gang member in front of a business and then found marijuana on the sidewalk near him, said police, adding that when the officers approached him, he ran into a hair salon "with multiple civilians."

In what police described as "a violent struggle" with the gang member, Pelliccio deployed his Taser and he took him into custody, only to find "multiple weapons and narcotics," police said.

Pelliccio also served as a union delegate in the Police Benevolent Association.

Third Precinct Sgt. Philip Dluginski called Pelliccio an "extremely dedicated young man who loved being a police officer and was always eager to perform and excel in his law enforcement duties.”

“He fully embraced the police culture and loved spending time with his blue family both during and outside of work," he said. "He will be sorely missed by all his friends and co-workers, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and fiancée at this time.”

Acting Commissioner Stuart Cameron said Pelliccio was "an exemplary and distinguished member" of the department "whose dedication to his family, friends, and the residents of Suffolk County was an inspiration for others throughout his years of service.”

“His loss is felt by everyone in the SCPD family, and I offer my sincere condolences to his family and friends,” he added.

Pelliccio is survived by his parents, Tony and Angela, his sister, Niki, and his fiancée, Danielle Trotta.

County Executive Steve Bellone said he had the pleasure of meeting Pelliccio when he was honored in 2019 and was devastated to hear of his death.

Bellone described him as an "exemplary law enforcement professional and relentless fighter who returned to work full duty after winning a battle with cancer," adding, "Officer Pelliccio’s tragic passing has shaken our entire police family."

"My thoughts and prayers are with his fiancée and his family during this incredibly difficult time,” he said.

Pelliccio's car flipped over several times in the crash, according to a report by On Scene Photography. His Jeep was impounded for a safety check, according to police.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about the crash to call the 6th Squad at 631-854-8652.

Pelliccio's funeral arrangements have not been finalized.

Ryan Bonner contributed additional reporting to this story.