Hampton Bays Woman Arrested After Crash That Kills Her Father

One person died and three were injured in an accident where a Hampton Bays woman drove into oncoming traffic while impaired by drugs and crashed head-on into another car in Flanders on Thursday afternoon, according to Southampton Town Police.

Claudette Stephens, 53, was driving a 2006 Nissan Quest minivan eastbound on State Road 24 at 4:52 p.m. when she drifted across the turning lane into the westbound lane of oncoming traffic and crashed into a 2014 Honda minivan traveling westbound near Longneck Boulevard by the USA gas station in Flanders, police said.

Stephens and her 16-year-old son sustained injuries and were transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment, police said.

The son is in stable condition, police said.

Her father, John Loetscher, 80, of Hampton Bays, who was in the rear of the Nissan was pronounced dead several hours later at the hospital, police said.

Carolina Espana, 33, of Riverhead, the driver of the Honda, was also transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center for multiple injuries and is currently in stable condition, police said.

Stephens was arrested and charged her with driving while ability impaired by drugs and endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

The investigation is continuing.

Detectives ask anyone who may have witnesses the crash to contact the Southampton Town Detectives at 631-702-2230.

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