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Suffolk Cop Charged in Fatal Wrong-way Crash

An off-duty Suffolk County police officer was arrested for allegedly driving the wrong way on Sunrise Highway and causing a head-on crash that killed another driver in West Islip early Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Robert Scheuerer, an officer in the Third Precinct, was charged with a felony count of reckless endangerment. He is facing additional charges, police said.

Major Case Unit detectives said the officer was driving a Nissan Pathfinder eastbound in the westbound lanes when his SUV crashed into a Ford van between exits 39 and 40 at 4:38 a.m.

The van caught fire, and its driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver’s identity was not immediately available.

Scheuerer was hospitalized. He will be arraigned at a later date. In the meantime, he was suspended from duty without pay.

Detectives are continuing the investigation and ask anyone with information about this crash to call them at 631-852-6553 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.