NEED TO KNOW
- Patricia Espinosa, a 42-year-old Nassau County Police officer and mother of one, was killed in a crash involving a suspected drunk driver on Saturday, Jan. 31
- She is being remembered as a “dedicated public servant” who served her community “with courage and compassion”
- Matthew Smith, 20, has been charged with a DWI in connection with the fatal crash
A New York community is mourning the loss of a “dedicated” police officer, who was killed in a crash involving a suspected drunk driver while on her way to work.
Patricia Espinosa, a 42-year-old officer with the Nassau County Police Department, was driving a 2019 Alfa Romeo westbound on Route 347 in Suffolk County, N.Y., at 6:06 a.m. local time on Saturday, Jan. 31, when the incident occurred, per a press release from the Suffolk County Police.
Twenty-year-old Matthew Smith of Hauppauge, N.Y., was behind the wheel of a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado northbound on Alexander Avenue when he failed to stop at a red light and struck Espinosa’s vehicle, police said.
Espinosa was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, per the release. Smith and his passenger, John Andali, 25, of Centereach, N.Y., were both transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Smith has since been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), per the Suffolk County Police. Both vehicles involved in the fatal crash have been impounded, and an investigation is underway.
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Following Espinosa’s tragic death, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from Monday, Feb. 2, until the late police officer’s burial.
“Heartbroken over the passing of Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, a beloved member of the Fifth Precinct,” Blakeman wrote on Instagram. “I had the honor of marching with her in the Puerto Rican Day parade. Condolences to her husband Police Officer Francisco Malaga and her brother Police Officer Christian Almeida.”
Blakeman’s tribute was accompanied by a photo of himself posing with a group of police officers at the parade, including Espinosa, who had worked for the Nassau Police Department since 2017.
In a lengthy statement on Facebook, Tommy Shevlin, president of the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, remembered Espinosa as a “dedicated” police officer who “served with honor, courage and compassion.”
“Her death in a violent crash caused by a driver charged with DWI is a profound loss to our department, our county, and every community she protected,” he continued.
Shevlin went on to share that Espinosa leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter, named Mia, “who will grow up knowing her mother was a hero.”
“Patricia understood the sacrifices of this profession not just as an officer, but as a wife, a sister, and a mother in blue,” he wrote. “That her life was taken in such a senseless act makes this loss even more painful.”
Shevlin concluded: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with her family and our brothers and sisters in uniform, and we will honor her legacy by never forgetting her service, her sacrifice, and the family she leaves behind.”
The Nassau County Police Medic Association also shared a tribute to Espinosa on Facebook, writing: “We mourn the loss of Nassau County Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, who was tragically killed this morning in an auto accident while on her way into work. Officer Espinosa, a beloved member of the 5th Precinct, was a dedicated public servant and cherished colleague, serving her community with courage and compassion.”
The Suffolk County Police are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6553.
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