Polish National Extradited, Arraigned in Fatal 2022 Cutchogue Drunk Driving Crash

Adam Chrzanowski, a 45-year-old Polish national and former Riverhead resident, was extradited from Poland and arraigned March 23 in Suffolk County Court on a first-degree bail jumping charge, nearly two years after he allegedly boarded a flight at JFK Airport and fled the country to avoid prosecution in a fatal 2022 drunk driving crash that killed a Massapequa grandmother on Route 25 in Cutchogue.

At approximately 6:04 p.m. on March 6, 2022, Chrzanowski was driving a 2021 Toyota RAV4 eastbound on Route 25 in Cutchogue when he allegedly crossed over the double yellow lines attempting to overtake another car. He then allegedly crashed head-on into a 2019 Nissan Rogue traveling in the westbound lanes, in which Elizabeth Post, 60, of Massapequa, was riding in the front passenger seat. Two other vehicles went off the roadway and spun out of control due to the collision. The driver of the Nissan Rogue suffered multiple fractures to his spine, clavicle, sternum, ribs, and leg. Post underwent several surgeries for severe internal injuries and fractures and died from her injuries on September 12, 2022.

Chrzanowski was arraigned on December 21, 2022, before County Court Judge Stephen Braslow on charges including aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, aggravated vehicular assault, assault, and driving while intoxicated. The indictment included three counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, one count of second-degree manslaughter, one count of second-degree vehicular manslaughter, five counts of aggravated vehicular assault, two counts of second-degree assault, one count of aggravated driving while intoxicated, two counts of driving while intoxicated, and one count of reckless driving.

Authorities say he boarded a flight from JFK Airport to Poland on March 10, 2024. A bench warrant was issued March 25, 2024, after he failed to appear in court, and he was later indicted on the bail jumping charge.

"This defendant's alleged dangerous and deadly choice to drive drunk caused the death of Elizabeth Post, who was simply headed home after visiting her grandchild," District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said, adding: "When it was finally time to face the charges for his actions, he allegedly fled the country."

The investigation was conducted by Detective Roman Wilinski of the Southold Police Department. Wilinski told the Suffolk Times that the recovery of Chrzanowski was a multi-agency effort: "Interpol was good enough to track him down and the U.S. marshals did pretty much all of the work." Tierney also thanked the Department of Justice, the United States Marshal Service's New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Southold Police Department for their role in the extradition.

Southold Police Chief Steve Grattan said he was pleased to see the collaborative effort to extradite Chrzanowski back to the United States was successful.

On March 23, 2026, Chrzanowski was arraigned on the new indictment charging him with Bail Jumping in the First Degree, a Class D felony, before County Court Judge Bryan Browns. Judge Browns ordered Chrzanowski remanded without bail until his next court appearance on April 8, 2026. He faces eight and a third to 25 years in prison if convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide, and two and a third to seven years if convicted of bail jumping.

Chrzanowski is being represented by Hauppauge-based attorney Christopher Gioe. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ray Varuolo and Jeffrey Rosenheck of the Vehicular Crime Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Grazia Divincenzo of the Appeals and Training Bureau.