New York,NY : Man killed in fiery crash into Casa Luis restaurant in Smithtown on September, Thursday 21th 2017

A man driving a minivan died early Sunday and the owners of a Spanish restaurant bordering Commack and Smithtown narrowly escaped injury after the vehicle went out of control, hit the building and burst into flames, authorities said.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash about 12:35 a.m. on Jericho Turnpike between Siracusa Boulevard and Cornell Drive, police said, adding that speed played a role in the crash. Flames from the burning wreckage set Casa Luis, a restaurant opened 30 years ago at the location, on fire.


The restaurant’s owner, Jose Luis Estevez, known as Luis, and his wife, Carmen, fled their apartment above the establishment at 1033 W. Jericho Turnpike as the overturned minivan burned below with the driver alone inside.

“I heard a big boom,” Carmen Estevez said. “I thought it was the garbage. Then I heard another one and I thought ‘This is not garbage.’ ”


Source :
Man killed in fiery crash into Casa Luis restaurant in Smithtown, cops say