A Centereach man has been indicted after prosecutors say he drove drunk into a road closure on the Long Island Expressway and seriously injured a Department of Transportation worker earlier this year.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Joseph Kalinowski, 54, was arraigned April 22, 2026, on multiple charges tied to the Feb. 26 crash. Authorities allege Kalinowski was intoxicated when he entered a clearly marked road closure and struck a DOT employee assisting with debris removal.
According to the investigation, the crash occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m. as Kalinowski was traveling eastbound on the Long Island Expressway after driving from Jericho toward his home in Centereach. Prosecutors say he disregarded emergency vehicles and traffic control devices before hitting the worker.
The victim was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital with serious injuries, including a traumatic brain injury and a fractured arm.
Kalinowski was indicted on several charges, including aggravated vehicular assault, assault in the second degree, vehicular assault in the first and second degrees, aggravated driving while intoxicated, and reckless endangerment. He also faces multiple misdemeanor counts, including driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
At his arraignment before Suffolk County Court Judge Bryan L. Browns, Kalinowski was released under supervised conditions while the case proceeds.
Prosecutors said the top charge, aggravated vehicular assault, is a Class C felony that carries a potential sentence of up to five to 15 years in prison if he is convicted.
District Attorney Tierney said the case underscores the dangers of impaired driving, particularly in active roadway work zones.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Alexander Bopp of the Vehicular Crime Bureau, following an investigation by the Suffolk County Police Department’s Sixth Squad.
Kalinowski is scheduled to return to court on June 3, 2026.
Criminal charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
