A bachelorette party turned into unfathomable tragedy Saturday when four women riding in a limousine were killed by a drunken hit-and-run driver on the north fork of Long Island, authorities said.
The limousine carrying eight young women had just left a vineyard when it was t-boned by a red pick-up truck near Depot Lane in Cutchogue shortly before 5:30 p.m.
"The pickup truck was halfway through the limo," said witness Lynne Lulfs. "We saw bodies hanging out of the left side of the car. They looked like young girls. It was just arms, and heads and hair."
Southold Police Chief Martin Flatley identified the truck driver to the Daily News as Steve Romeo of Southold, who ran from the scene and was arrested nearby. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.
Three of the victims died on the scene. The fourth was pronounced dead at Peconic Bay Medical Center, Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley told Newsday.
Two other passengers were hospitalized with serious injured. The two drivers were also rushed to area hospitals.
The victims’ names were not released, but officials said they lived in the New York City area.
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The crash left victims hanging outside the window of the wrecked limousine along Route 48 on Saturday evening.
“This is one of the worst accidents I've ever seen,” Flatley told Newsday.
Flatley said the limo was trying to make a U-turn when it was struck by the truck.
“The pick-up driver hit the brakes right before and he broadsided the limo right on the passenger side," Flatley said.
Lulfs said she saw the limo driver slumped back in the front seat, his mouth open. The limo was "almost cut in half," she said. "It was definitely high speed."“
“It’s just so tragic,” Lulfs added. “It just shook me to the core. This resonates with you forever.”
Motorists rushed to the aid of the victims, witnesses said.
“Everyone was running to help,” Lulfs said.
Cutchogue firefighters sent two medevac helicopters and multiple ambulances to the scene.
A witness who declined to give her name described hearing the frantic screams of a woman stuck in a window. "Another girl was getting CPR. I don't think she made it," the witness added. "I sat there crying for an hour.
"It was the most horrific thing I've ever seen.”
The accident happened along a stretch of Long Island's North Fork, a popular summer destination dotted with wineries. The party of women had just left Vineyard 48, a nearby winery, authorities said.
A Cutchogue resident who lives one block from the crash site said the roads leading leading to the wineries are known to be treacherous.
A Cutchogue resident who lives one block from the crash site said the roads leading leading to the wineries are known to be treacherous.
"These roads were made for potato trucks, not super stretch limos and party buses," said Nicole Brewer.
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The unidentified truck driver ran from the scene — but was arrested nearby and charged with driving while intoxicated.
“[The victims] did the right thing by having a driver. But in that stretch of road it is easy to do 75 and you have six lanes that all converge.”
First responders placed white sheets over the three victims, who died at the scene.
The pickup driver's wife, pacing along the police tape, told witnesses she stumbled upon the accident not realizing it was her husband.
He had broken ribs and a bloodied nose, the witness said.
Authorities said he would be arraigned on Sunday.
That’s such a sad thing and tragic. I think this drunk driver must be given exemplary punishment so everyone think twice before doing drunk driving. I have worked with a DUI lawyer and know how difficult is to cope when you lose your loved ones for no reasons of theirs. My condolences are with their families.
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