Suffolk Cop Pleads Not Guilty in Deadly Wrong-Way Sunrise Highway Crash

The oSuffolk County police officer who was arrested after a deadly wrong-way crash on Sunrise Highway last week pleaded not guilty to reckless endangerment during a bedside arraignment at Southside Hospital Tuesday, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.

Last week, 24-year-old Robert Scheuerer, an officer assigned to the Third Precinct, was off-duty while driving his 2000 Nissan Pathfinder eastbound in the westbound lanes on Sunrise Highway in West Islip when he crashed into a 2016 Ford van at about 4:38 a.m. on Sept. 27, police said.

The van caught fire, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Police still not have identified the driver, telling Patch Monday that there is a "tentative ID but detectives have to wait for the ME to do DNA for a positive identification."

Scheuerer, who remains in serious condition from injuries sustained in the crash, is currently only charged with first degree reckless endangerment, a class D felony. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of that charge. After his arrest, police said "additional charges may be forthcoming."

During Tuesday's arraignment, Judge David Morris set cash bail for Scheuerer at $150,000 cash or $250,000 bond.

Scheuerer, who is due back in court on Nov. 17, is the son of Suffolk Police Sgt. Peter Scheuerer, according to Newsday.

Patch file photo