What Happened
Charles Carrano, 19, of Center Moriches was killed Tuesday afternoon after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck at the intersection of Montauk Highway and James Hawkins Road in Moriches, according to Greater Long Island.
Carrano was riding a 2006 Honda motorcycle eastbound on Montauk Highway when the crash occurred just after 12:30 p.m. He struck a 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck at the James Hawkins Road intersection, Suffolk Police said. The force of the collision proved fatal.
Carrano was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office — he was not transported to a hospital. The driver of the Dodge Ram, Leonardo Munoz-Umanzor, 27, of East Moriches, was not injured in the crash, according to Greater Long Island.
Following the crash, both the 2006 Honda motorcycle and the 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 were impounded for a safety check, per standard procedure in fatal collisions, police said. No charges against Munoz-Umanzor had been announced as of the time of reporting.
Location & Road Context
The crash took place at the intersection of Montauk Highway and James Hawkins Road in Moriches, a hamlet in the Town of Brookhaven on the South Shore of Suffolk County. Montauk Highway is a heavily traveled corridor running through multiple South Shore communities and serves as a primary surface route connecting communities from Bay Shore eastward through the Hamptons. The James Hawkins Road intersection sits in a stretch of the highway that passes through a mix of residential and commercial areas in the Moriches area.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Suffolk County Police Seventh Squad detectives are actively investigating the fatal collision, according to Greater Long Island. Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has relevant information to contact them directly at 631-852-8752. Tips may also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS or online at P3Tips.com.
Broader Impact
Fatal motorcycle crashes on South Shore arterials like Montauk Highway underscore the acute vulnerability of riders at uncontrolled or lightly regulated intersections. According to the Suffolk County Police Department, both vehicles in this crash were impounded for a safety check — a step investigators use to rule out mechanical failure as a contributing factor before determining cause of the collision.