N.Y. Officer Breaks Leg in Crash With SUV

March 12--A Suffolk County police officer sustained a broken leg in a collision Sunday night in Lindenhurst between his cruiser and an SUV. The driver of the SUV was charged with driving while intoxicated, police said.

The First Precinct officer, who was not identified by name, was taken to a hospital after the collision, which occurred at about 8 p.m. on Montauk Highway near Buena Vista Boulevard, police said.

The SUV's driver, Theresa Bernagozzi, 44, of Lindenhurst, was not injured in the crash, police said.

Bernagozzi was driving west on Montauk Highway and was turning left on Buena Vista Boulevard when she struck the police cruiser, which was traveling east on the highway, police said.

Montauk Highway, which was closed in both directions for the investigation, had not reopened to traffic as of 10 p.m. Sunday night, police said.

Both the officer's cruiser and the SUV suffered damage to their front ends.

Copyright 2012 - Newsday, Melville, N.Y.