Police Say Huntington Teen was Drunken Driving in Fatal NYE Crash

Police said a Huntington teen was driving while intoxicated when he crashed twice and killed another driver, a 63-year-old Commack woman, on Commack Road Tuesday.

 James Murphy, 19, of Huntington, was driving a Chevrolet Blazer north on Commack Road at about 3:25 p.m. on New Year's Eve when he sideswiped a Mercedes just before New Highway, near the Commack Public Library. The driver of the Mercedes was not injured, according to the report. Right after, at the intersection, Murphy was said to have broadsided a Hyundai sedan driven by Herta Palma, 63, of Commack. Palma was taken to Huntington Hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after 4 p.m., police said in the report. The driver of the Mercedes, Andrea Linton-Parkes, 50, of Dix Hills, was uninjured.

Police shut down Commack Road between Delaware Avenue and Wicks Road until 9 p.m. Tuesday to conduct their investigation.

Murphy and his passenger suffered minor injuries and were treated at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown.

The 19-year-old was charged with driving while intoxicated. Anyone with information should call the vehicular crimes unit at 631-852-6555.