Huntington Station Mom/RN Killed by Drunk Driver While Stopped at Red Light

Suffolk County Police have arrested a Lindenhurst man for driving while intoxicated following a three-vehicle crash that killed a woman in Huntington Station last night.

Ryan Gurecki was driving a 2010 Ford Explorer westbound on Jericho Turnpike when he struck a 2016 Ford Escape that was stopped at a red light on westbound Jericho Turnpike, waiting to make a left turn onto Route 110 at 9:23 p.m. June 26, 2016.

Photo by Steve Silverman

The three people in the Ford Escape were transported by ambulance from the Huntington Community First Aid Squad to Huntington Hospital, where Karen Holden,RN, 56, of Huntington Station died from her injuries. Karen Holden, RN worked at St. Francis Hospital.  Her husband, and driver of the Escape, William Holden, 57, suffered a head injury. Her son, Robert Holden, 23, suffered a back injury. Both were listed in stable condition.

A third vehicle, a 2014 Honda Odyssey, operated by Hyun Chung, 59, of Melville, was also traveling westbound on Jericho Turnpike waiting to make a left turn onto Route 110 and was sideswiped by Gurecki’s Explorer. Chung was not injured.

Gurecki, 34, of 1021 Catskill Avenue, Lindenhurst, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated. He is being held at the Second Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned this morning 6/27/2016 at First District Court in Central Islip.

All three vehicles have been impounded for safety checks and the investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone with information about this crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.