The Homicide Squad reports the arrest of a Massapequa man for manslaughter resulting from a fatal motor vehicle accident that occurred on Tuesday, May 05 at 4:45 a.m. in Massapequa.
According to detectives, Michael Bantel, 27, was traveling eastbound on Sunrise Highway in a 2005 Nissan Maxima when his vehicle crossed the median that separates the east and westbound lanes. He continued into oncoming traffic and crashed head on with a 2014 Ford F-150XLT pick-up truck driven by a 37-year-old female. A 28-year-old male passenger in Bantel’s vehicle was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to internal injuries. The female driver was transported to an area hospital for treatment of lacerations and contusions along with head, knee and back pain. The defendant was also admitted to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
Bantel is charged with manslaughter second degree, vehicular manslaughter second degree, assault third degree, and driving while intoxicated. He will be arraigned on Wednesday, May 6, 2015.
