Police

Cops: Pedestrian killed in early-morning Laurel car accident

RACHEL YOUNG PHOTO | Police investigate the scene of a fatal accident Thursday morning in Laurel.
RACHEL YOUNG PHOTO | Police investigate the scene of a fatal accident Thursday morning in Laurel.

A pedestrian was struck and killed in a motor vehicle accident just east of the Riverhead Town line early Thursday morning, police and fire officials confirmed.

Authorities said Riverhead and Southold police were originally called to the scene a few hundred feet east of the Laurel Post Office shortly before 5:45 a.m.

Jamesport Fire Department’s heavy rescue team and the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps also responded but the scene was turned over to Mattituck’s rescue squad when it was determined that the crash had happened within their jurisdiction, fire officials said.

Two vehicles were involved in the accident, an SUV and a sedan.

At least one victim had become trapped, fire officials said. Southold Police said the pedestrian was jogging on Main Road. The drivers of the two vehicles were not injured, police said.

JOE WERKMEISTER PHOTO | Southold Police deployed its new command van to the scene of Thursday’s accident. It was the first official use of the van.

Mattituck firefighters closed Main Road in both directions while the scene was cleared; the road remained closed for nearly eight hours and reopened around 2 p.m. Southold police deployed its brand new command van for its first official use.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office is also on scene to help investigate.

Southold Police Department said it would release more details from the accident shortly.