2 NYPD, Including Groom Killed in Wedding Day Hudson Valley Crash
Hours after a wedding in the Hudson Valley two police officers, including the groom, were killed when a brand new Maserati crashed into a tree.
On Sunday around 11:23 p.m., New York State Police in Kingston responded to a report of a one-car fatal motor vehicle accident on Oliveria Road in the town of Shandaken.
An investigation at the scene revealed a 2018 Maserati left the road, hit a tree, overturned and came to a rest on its roof, police say.
John M. Martinez, 39, from Hauppauge, and 31-year-old Michael Colangelo from Huntington Station were pronounced dead at the scene, according to New York State Police.
Earlier on Sunday, Colangelo got married at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian on Valley View Road, Newsday reports. Both work for the NYPD.
Initially, police said Martinez was the driver, but later said it's unclear who was driving.
Update Wednesday 4 p.m.: After reviewing evidence developed by the State Police Troop F Collision Reconstruction Unit and Forensic Investigation Unit, along with autopsy results and interviews from witnesses at the scene, it has been determined that Colangelo was the driver of the of the 2018 Maserati at the time of the crash and Martinez was a front seat passenger, according to police.
The initial information indicating Martinez was the driver was partially based off witnesses who observed Martinez behind the wheel as the vehicle left the resort. At some point during their drive, Martinez and Colangelo switched positions, police say.
Police believe speed was a factor in the crash and that Martinez and Colangelo weren't wearing their seatbelts.
A backseat passenger was transported to Albany Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The injured passenger hasn't been identified but isn't the bride, according to Newsday. The unnamed backseat passenger was wearing a seatbelt, police say.
Authorities are waiting for autopsy and toxicology results.