Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
Diana Kutateladze, a 36-year-old Oceanside woman, was indicted on Friday on aggravated vehicular homicide and multiple other charges for a fatal wrong-way crash that killed two community pastors on the Southern State Parkway in March, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly. The crash occurred on March 15, 2026, at approximately 10:15 p.m. when Kutateladze was driving her 2020 Cadillac Escalade westbound in Malverne at a high rate of speed with her husband in the front passenger seat, prosecutors say.
According to the indictment, Kutateladze was allegedly driving more than 80 miles per hour while intoxicated when the deadly sequence began near exit 17S. The crash started when Kutateladze crossed in front of a BMW after allegedly sideswiping it, then jumped over the center guardrail into oncoming traffic in the eastbound lanes. Her Escalade crashed head-on into a 2016 Toyota Highlander carrying 82-year-old Donald Maxwell in the front passenger seat and 88-year-old Liscent “Barbara” Maxwell in the rear passenger side seat. The couple were killed instantly when the Highlander’s passenger side was crushed at impact, prosecutors said.
Blood drawn from Kutateladze at the hospital revealed her blood alcohol concentration was allegedly 0.15% approximately one hour after the crash—nearly twice the legal limit, according to the DA’s office. The vehicle’s crash data recorder showed Kutateladze was allegedly driving 81 miles per hour five seconds before the crash on a stretch of parkway with a 55 mile per hour speed limit. The Maxwells were pastors at the Pentecostal City Mission Church in Far Rockaway, according to prosecutors.
The 71-year-old driver of the Highlander sustained serious injuries including fractured ribs and a compound fracture of his hand that required surgery and the insertion of metal hardware, the DA’s office said. He also suffered a significant heart injury that requires ongoing treatment and monitoring. Kutateladze’s husband was critically injured during the crash and was trapped in the passenger seat of their car. First responders extricated him from the vehicle and he was taken to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator to survive, according to prosecutors.
The defendant’s husband suffered multiple broken bones and significant head trauma resulting in a brain bleed, requiring the insertion of a titanium plate to stabilize his midsection, prosecutors said. He remains hospitalized more than a month after the crash. Kutateladze was treated at Nassau University Medical Center for minor injuries. The head-on crash triggered a chain reaction that caused a five-car pile-up when three other vehicles crashed into the wreckage, leaving drivers with injuries ranging from whiplash and back pain to trauma that will likely require knee surgery.
“A husband and wife who spent their lives serving the community are dead because this defendant allegedly drove drunk instead of just staying home,” said DA Donnelly. “Diana Kutateladze was allegedly driving more than 80 miles per hour while intoxicated when she crashed into one car, crossed into oncoming traffic, and crashed head-on into the victims’ vehicle. Her actions turned a quiet Sunday evening into a scene of absolute chaos, resulting in a horrific five-car pileup. My office is committed to seeking justice for the Maxwells and we will work to hold the defendant fully accountable for the lives she destroyed.”
Location & Road Context
The fatal crash occurred on the Southern State Parkway in Malverne near exit 17S, a busy stretch of highway that connects Nassau County communities. The collision shut down part of the Southern State Parkway for several hours while emergency crews worked to extricate victims and remove debris from the roadway. According to Long Island Traffic’s database, the Southern State Parkway has recorded 334 incidents, making it one of the more accident-prone roadways in the region. Nassau County has seen 304 recorded accidents in our local incident database, highlighting ongoing traffic safety concerns across the area.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Kutateladze was arrested on March 16, 2026, by the New York State Police and was arraigned on Friday before Judge Howard Sturim on grand jury indictment charges. The extensive list of charges includes two counts of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (a B felony), Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree (a C felony), two counts of Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a C felony), Aggravated Vehicle Assault (a C felony), two counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a D felony), Vehicular Assault in the First Degree (a D felony), two counts of Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree (an E felony), four counts of Assault in the Second Degree (a D violent felony), Driving While Intoxicated Per Se (an E felony), five counts of Assault in the Third Degree (a misdemeanor), Driving While Intoxicated (an unclassified misdemeanor), and Reckless Driving (an unclassified misdemeanor).
The defendant pleaded not guilty and was remanded. She is due back in court on May 20, 2026, and faces up to 8-1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted on all charges. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney James Taglienti of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Michael Bushwack and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Litigation Division Kevin Higgins. The defendant is represented at arraignment by Taryn Shechter of the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County.
Broader Impact
The case highlights New York’s aggressive prosecution of high-speed DWI fatalities, with prosecutors pursuing the most serious vehicular homicide charges available under state law. The extensive list of charges reflects the multiple victims injured in the five-car pileup, demonstrating how a single impaired driving decision can create cascading legal consequences affecting numerous families and requiring months of complex medical treatment for survivors.