aretardedorange

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/n...coma-1.2587852 Happened locally heard it on the news. Must say the kid paid a terrible price and so did his friends.

"The accident that killed a Westbury high school student Tuesday left another in a coma and a third seriously injured, police said Wednesday.

Police said Wednesday that driver Francesco Posillico, 17, of Westbury, was killed after he broadsided another car in a residential neighborhood near W.T. Clarke High School.

Detectives believe that Posillico was speeding and failed to obey a stop sign, said Det. Lt. Raymond Coté, commanding officer of Nassau County Third Squad detectives, who are investigating. Posillico, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the car, Coté said.

PHOTOS: Westbury crash kills teen | Recent LI accidents

VIDEO: Police describe crash that killed teen

Daniel Roche, 16, who was sitting in the front seat, was in a medically induced coma with cervical spinal injuries and multiple fractures, police said. He was wearing a seat belt, police said. He remains in critical and stable condition, said John Broder, spokesman for Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola.

Joseph Scaperrotta, also 16, was in serious condition with spinal injuries and multiple fractures, police said. He was sitting in back, and when detectives interviewed him, he did not remember the accident, Coté said. Police believe he was not wearing a seat belt, but they are not certain.

The two injured teens are Clarke students, as was Posillico.

The driver of the other car, a Levittown woman, 24, was not seriously injured and has been released from a hospital, police said. She was not identified.

The crash was at 5:38 p.m. at Bowling Green Drive and Salisbury Road.

"It appears that this was a matter of high speed, inexperience and a stop sign that was not observed," Coté said.

"I can tell you that it was a horrific scene," he added.

Police said on Wednesday that Posillico had been in two previous accidents, on Sept. 12 and 27, the month after he turned 17 and got his driver's license. Both accidents involved property damage and were in Nassau, police said, but they did not provide more details.

Scaperrotta's father, a volunteer firefighter, responded to the accident scene Tuesday without knowing his son was among the injured, police said.

Students said Wednesday they were stunned by the news.

Samantha Penninipede, 17, a senior at Clarke High School, said she had known Posillico since the sixth grade.

"We just took yearbook pictures, and now he's a ghost," said Penninipede, who visited the crash site with her mother, Ann, to leave flowers.

She said she last saw him in gym class Tuesday morning.

"He was really funny," she said. "He would pass me the ball when no one else would. He was just nice to everyone. He was a genuine, good guy."

She said she lives near the accident scene and that she and her mother heard the noise of the impact Tuesday evening.

Students at the high school also expressed shock.

"It just blew me away," said Jerry Sorto, who was with his father. "I just can't believe it. I was just in complete shock."

Sorto said he knew Posillico, who was known as Frankie.

"I can't believe he's gone," Sorto said. "He was in my gym class. We were pretty cool with each other . . . He was a funny guy. He'd always joke around. He was making kids laugh."

"I think everyone is just really hurt by this . . . it's just finally realizing, 'Wow, this could happen to any one of us,' " said Demi Shanahan, a junior who was being dropped off by her mother.

She said Posillico "didn't really live his life yet."

"I'm hoping people will realize now anything can happen on any given day," Shanahan said. "You still have to be careful, especially when you have other kids in the car. You're responsible for them."

Debris from the accident remained scattered Wednesday across Bowling Green, with a headlight lying at the foot of a tree. A Clarke High School lacrosse jersey was hung on the tree, and bouquets were left nearby.

Outside NUMC's emergency room Tuesday night, about a dozen teenagers hugged one another and cried.

"We were basically brothers," said Joe Muth, 17, of Westbury, who said he was Posillico's best friend. "I lost my other half."

Police said they believe the 2006 BMW carrying the teenagers was heading south on Bowling Green Drive.

It apparently failed to stop at a stop sign and struck a Chevrolet Cobalt that was westbound on Salisbury Road, police said.

The BMW tumbled several times and struck a utility pole and tree, police said. The Cobalt was knocked onto a front lawn.

"We heard like a big bang, like an explosion," said Dennis Greene, who lives nearby. "I ran out there. It was dark. You couldn't see."

He said the crash appeared to knock out power on the street.

Greene said he got a flashlight and found one teenager lying on a snowbank and two others trapped inside the BMW.

He said the intersection where the crash occurred has long been considered dangerous.

"There's a problem with this corner all the time," Greene said. "We're trying to get stop signs both ways."

With Emily C. Dooley, Zachary R. Dowdy, Paul LaRocco, Bill Mason and Ridgely Ochs"

aretardedorange

Upon my investigation the car was a 2006 BMW 330i with sports package.

luigi524td

I hate reading these stories about inexperienced drivers doing stupid things ... they must realize they are not invincible and that life isn't some video-game.

What a loss

Richard in NC

Wow, that car was destroyed.

CWS530

I can't believe anyone survived that crash.

Masterspy

Wow another tragedy. According to insurance survey, teenagers are about 18% of the total american drivers but, they contribute to about 34% of road accident claims.
My question is, why do 3 teenagers in the same car. In Illinois, Drivers below 18 can only have one passenger under 18. Don't NY have the same law?

Krozi

Damn that car looks like it might have been going like 80+

aretardedorange

In NY if you have a senior license at age 17 you can drive with more then one passenger. But if you only have a JL junior license you can only drive with one person. In all honesty no one follows these rules.