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Deer Park Crash Driver Fled Scene, Cops Say

Suffolk County police are looking for a driver that ran away after crashing his car into a truck in Deer Park, seriously injuring one of his passengers late Monday night, authorities said.

Daniel Garcia, 20, of North Babylon, and 33-year-old Jani Martinez of Bay Shore were passengers in a Hyundai Sonata that was being driven eastbound on Grand Boulevard when the car hit a Volvo 18-wheel tractor trailer at 11:43 p.m., police said.

Garcia and Martinez were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, where Garcia is listed in serious condition and Martinez was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The truck driver, 49-year-old Christopher Bertovich of Pennsylvania, was not injured.

The driver of the Hyundai fled the scene on foot before officers arrived on the scene, police said.

Suffolk County Motor Carrier Safety Unit investigators inspected the truck and officers impounded the Hyundai.

First Squad detectives are continuing the investigation and ask anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact them at 631-854-8152 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.