BRENTWOOD, NY — A man was killed Wednesday morning in a fiery two-vehicle crash on the Long Island Expressway in Brentwood, according to Suffolk County police. Another driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries after the wreck near Exit 55.

Police said the crash began when a 2022 Jeep traveling eastbound struck a guardrail on the right shoulder and overturned. After the Jeep flipped, it was hit by a second vehicle, and the impact set the Jeep on fire.

The driver of the Jeep, 38-year-old Javier Ramirez, was taken to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, where he was pronounced dead. The second driver, 41-year-old Michael Dechiaro, was also taken to the same hospital.

Police say the Jeep struck a guardrail before overturning

Suffolk County police said Ramirez was driving eastbound on the Long Island Expressway when the Jeep hit the guardrail along the right shoulder. The vehicle then overturned, leaving it exposed in the roadway as traffic moved through the area.

Investigators said the overturned Jeep was then struck by a 2020 Subaru driven by Dechiaro. Police have not said what caused the initial collision with the guardrail, and they have not released any information about weather, traffic conditions, or possible mechanical issues.

The sequence of events is central to the investigation because the fire started only after the second impact. Detectives are still working to determine exactly how the crash unfolded.

Ramirez died after being rushed to South Shore University Hospital

Ramirez was transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore after the crash, but doctors pronounced him dead there, police said. He was identified by investigators as the driver of the Jeep.

Dechiaro was also brought to South Shore University Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries. Police described his injuries as non-life-threatening.

Authorities did not immediately release any additional information about the men, and no other injuries were reported in connection with the crash. The focus of the case remains on the circumstances that led to the overturned vehicle and the subsequent fire.

Fire followed the second impact on the expressway shoulder

Police said the Jeep caught fire after the Subaru struck it. That detail turned the crash from a serious collision into a deadly roadside blaze on one of Long Island’s busiest highways.

No other vehicles were reported to have been involved, and authorities did not say whether the fire spread beyond the Jeep. The damaged vehicles were later removed from the roadway as part of the investigation.

Both the Jeep and the Subaru were impounded for a safety check, which can help investigators look for signs of mechanical failure or other contributing problems. Police have not said whether either driver had time to react before the impact.

Third Squad detectives are examining what led to the wreck

Suffolk County Police Third Squad detectives are investigating the crash. Their review will likely include the path of both vehicles, the condition of the guardrail, and the circumstances that caused the Jeep to overturn.

The expressway crash happened in Brentwood, in Suffolk County on Long Island, an area where traffic incidents can quickly create dangerous conditions because of heavy daily travel. The stretch near Exit 55 remained the key location tied to the deadly collision.

Police did not announce any charges, and no findings have been released about fault. For now, the case remains an open crash investigation with a fatal outcome.

What police have confirmed so far about the crash

Investigators have confirmed the identities of both drivers, the vehicles involved, and the hospital where each was taken. They have also confirmed that Ramirez died and that Dechiaro suffered minor injuries.

What remains unknown is what caused the Jeep to hit the guardrail in the first place. Police also have not said whether speed, distraction, or another factor played a role.

Until the Third Squad finishes its work, the official account is limited to the sequence police have already laid out: a guardrail strike, an overturned Jeep, a second collision, and a fatal fire.