One of the Drivers Was Off-Duty SCPD Officer
By Hank Russell
The Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) is investigating a two-car crash in which one of the drivers was an off-duty Suffolk County police officer and a passenger in the other vehicle died from his injuries.
According to reports from the OSI and the SCPD, on June 11 at 10:10 p.m., Hilton Spokony was a passenger in a 2023 Kia Forte that turned left across Waverly Avenue onto Buckley Road when it was struck by an off-duty SCPD officer driving in their personal vehicle, a 2016 Dodge Ram.
The off-duty officer, identified as Michael Aulivola, 55, of Holtsville, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Spokony and the driver of the Forte, Meredith Hill, 79, of East Patchogue, were transported to NYU Langone Hospital – Suffolk in Patchogue, where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Spokony, 45, of East Patchogue, was pronounced dead.
Both vehicles were impounded for safety checks.
“Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission,” OSI stated. “Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.”