Accident on Sunrise Highway, Sept. 23 left two injured. Photo by Ed Tuffy. A North Massapequa man was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence of drugs and assault following an automobile accident in Massapequa Tues., Sept. 23. The accident occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m., at Carmans Road and Sunrise Highway and Massapequa volunteers rushed to the scene.

Three vehicles collided and Fire Chief Keuchler quickly evaluated the scene and immediately requested that the Nassau County police helicopter be dispatched to the scene to take away the injured.

Arrested was Joseph Jacob, 22, of Westood Rd., North Massapequa. Police said he was operating a 1997 Jeep and failed to negotiate the merge on to Sunrise Highway from westbound Carmans Road. He drove over two concrete medians and three lanes of westbound traffic, striking a 1995 Volvo driven by Alice Stratigos, 80, of North Elm St., North Massapequa, and a 2004 Toyota Camry driven by Mary Connolly, 68, of North Rutherford Ave., North Massapequa. Both vehicles were stopped at a red light in the east-bound turning lanes of Sunrise Highway. Jacob was airlifted to NUMC for treatment. Stratigos was taken to NUMC by Massapequa Fire Department ambulance suffering from rib, back and knee pain. Connolly did not complain of any injuries at the scene.