Quogue police attempted to stop a speeding motorist moments before his vehicle collided head-on into a Prius on Saturday night in the village, killing five people, including both drivers.
A village police officer clocked Justin B. Mendez, 22 of Shirley, driving at least 55 mph in a 40 mph zone, put on flashing lights and attempted to pull him over before the 11:15 p.m. crash on Montauk Highway near Quogue Street, said Quogue Police Chief Christopher Isola on Tuesday.
But the officer was unable to catch up with Mendez’s Nissan Maxima and lost sight of it after a few seconds, just before the crash, Isola said at a news conference Tuesday at the Quogue Village Police Department.
A witness told police Mendez did not have his lights on, although police could not verify that account.
“The officer very quickly loses sight and never catches up,” Isola said. “The officer did observe at a high rate of speed along with some witnesses.”
The Maxima, traveling west on Montauk Highway, crossed the centerline and collided with the front-end of an Uber driver’s Toyota Prius carrying four passengers eastbound, Quogue police said.
Farhan Zahid, 32, an Uber driver from Bay Shore, was killed, along with passengers Michael O. Farrell, 20; his brother, James P. Farrell, 25; and a childhood friend, Ryan J. Kiess, 25, all of Manhasset. A fourth passenger, Brianna M. Maglio, 22, of Garden City, Kiess’ girlfriend, remained in critical condition at South Shore Hospital in Bay Shore.
Authorities found an undisclosed quantity of marijuana in the Maxima, although Isola declined to say how much or where in the vehicle it was discovered.
“That’s still under investigation,” Isola said. “There has been pretests positive for cannabis.”
It is not clear if Mendez was under the influence while driving, as authorities did not release toxicology reports.
The National Transportation Safety Board is assisting in the investigation, Isola said, due to the high number of deaths involved in the crash. Attorney General Letitia James and New York State Police are involved in the investigation as well, authorities said.
There is no criminal investigation because Mendez died in the crash, police said.
The curved section of Montauk Highway near the crash site, where the speed limit is 40, is not well lit. But Isola said the curve is no more dangerous or problematic than other spots in the village.
“It’s not a hot spot if you want to say that,” he said.
But the chief added that “any time there is an accident, we look at causation and see if there is something we can do better.”
Quogue Mayor Peter Sartorius has spoken with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, who has ordered a traffic safety investigation on the curve.
At the crash site Tuesday afternoon, broken glass, car parts and a windshield wiper remained strewed about the scene. Mourners placed flowers and prayer candles at the site, with one note reading: “To all the victims and their families.”
Meanwhile, the name “Justin” is spelled out in small stones adorned with two wooden crosses.
In an interview on Monday, Mendez’s father, Octavio Perez, said he is seeking solace in prayer.
“I wish we could turn back the hands of time,” Perez said. “I even prayed that it was me that died. Nothing can ever replace what we lost. I am praying for [the other families] as I pray for myself and my family.”
Perez said his son, who lived with him in Shirley, was attentive on the road, even more so after a close friend of Mendez died two weeks ago in a car crash.
“I know my son. He would not be in the wrong lane unless he was trying to avoid something in the road,” Perez said. “My son is not a reckless driver.”
On the night he died, Mendez was at his girlfriend’s house doing laundry, his father said. Mendez went out for a few minutes, according to Perez, and when he hadn’t returned, his girlfriend pinged his phone. She saw that his Maxima had stopped moving, immediately went there and came upon the crash, Perez said.
A GoFundMe account to help pay for the costs of Mendez’s funeral had raised nearly $2,800.
The crash has had cascading effects, devastating four other families.
Zahid’s widow, Hifsa Ahmad, told Newsday Monday that she is at a loss to explain to her three young children, ages 16 months to 6 years old, that their father was never returning home.
“The kids have been asking me since yesterday when their father is coming,” Ahmad, 26, said. “Why is he still at work? Why isn’t he coming? They really don’t understand.”
Zahid and Ahmad were both born in Pakistan, where they married seven years ago. Ahmad moved to Long Island, where her family lives, 13 years ago. She brought her husband to the United States five years ago and they eventually carved out a life in Bay Shore.
Ahmad stayed home to raise their children — son Ayan, 6, daughter Mishal, 3, and son Ahaan, 16 months — while preparing to open a beauty parlor in the hamlet next month.
James Farrell and Kiess were classmates from elementary school to high school and played lacrosse together.
Michael Farrell also played lacrosse for Manhasset. He graduated in 2019 and went to Villanova University.
Ryan Kiess and Maglio met at the University of Scranton, where they played lacrosse and had been dating for six years, the Kiess family said.
Kiess worked at the accounting firm KPMG while Maglio is a nurse at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan.
Members of the Farrell family declined to talk to reporters Monday while efforts to reach the Maglio family were not successful.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
