Sleepy driver crashes Jeep into tree in Ronkonkoma, injures passenger

Police say a 31-year-old Coram man fell asleep while driving a 2004 Jeep SUV northbound on Ocean Avenue in Ronkonkoma and lost control before striking a tree at 2845 Ocean Avenue at about 3:08 a.m. Saturday. The crash seriously injured passenger Lauren Daley, 50, of East Northport, and sent both occupants to Stony Brook University Hospital.

Suffolk County Police said Joseph Michael Uhl suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The Jeep was impounded for a safety check as Fourth Squad detectives took over the investigation, a response that reflects how seriously single-vehicle crashes are treated when a passenger is badly hurt.

What police have not yet said matters just as much: the department has not publicly detailed whether speed, impairment, seat-belt use or roadway conditions played any role. It also has not said whether that stretch of Ocean Avenue near 2845 has a recent crash history, even though the location is specific enough to draw attention from Ronkonkoma residents who use the corridor before dawn and after dark.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452. Suffolk County Police list the Fourth Squad front desk at 631-854-8400 and the department’s main non-emergency number at 631-852-6000. Crash reports are generally available online or in person 7 to 10 business days after an incident, which means a fuller account of the collision should follow as the case develops.

The collision is a stark reminder that fatigue can be as dangerous as reckless driving on Suffolk’s local roads. On a quiet stretch of Ocean Avenue, a single moment of drowsiness turned an ordinary drive into a serious crash with long-lasting consequences for Daley and an active police investigation centered on how the Jeep left the roadway.