(NY)(04-27-2021) NYPD officer struck and killed on Long Island Expressway in Queens
New York Law Enforcement
An NYPD officer, a 43-year-old husband and father of two, was killed early Tuesday when he was struck by a passing vehicle while diverting traffic from a previous fatal crash on the Long Island Expressway in Queens, and an alleged drunk driver is in custody.
The officer is identified as Anastasios Tsakos, a 14-year veteran of the force assigned to Highway 3.
Officer Tsakos was struck by a 2013 Volkswagen in the eastbound lanes of the LIE near Francis Lewis Boulevard just before 2 a.m. Police said the driver, a 32-year-old woman from Hempstead who was intoxicated and had a suspended license, swerved to avoid other cars and hit Tsakos as he stood next to his marked vehicle.
She initially drove from the scene but was arrested a short time later.
The striking driver is now facing several charges, including two counts of vehicular manslaughter, reckless endangerment, fleeing officer in a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, aggravated unlicensed operator, operating motor vehicle .08 of 1% alcohol, DWI, reckless driving, driving without a license, DWAI alcohol, collide with emergency vehicle and right of way violation: emergency motor vehicle.