Girl Killed in Car Crash on L.I.; Mom Critically Burned

COMMACK, N.Y. (AP/1010 WINS)  -- A young girl died in a three-car crash on a Long Island parkway, despite the efforts of passers-by who were beaten back by raging flames during their rescue attempts, state police said Wednesday.


Mona Rivera reports

Tyra Dhaiti, 6, of Massapequa, was riding in the back seat of her mother's car when it was struck from behind by driver Jeremiah James, of Elyria, Ohio, at about 8:55 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

Troopers said Carline Dhaiti, 39, had been following another car driven by her fiance. They both were traveling slowly on the westbound Northern State Parkway just west of the Sunken Meadow Parkway.

Another vehicle swerved away from them. But James was unable to avoid hitting Dhaiti's car, which erupted into flames after hitting a guardrail.

James Lucci, 35, of Mastic, and Robert Sturili, 35, of North Babylon, stopped to help and were able to remove Dhaiti from the vehicle where she was unconscious and trapped, but were unable to rescue the little girl, who died at the scene.

Dhaiti was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital in critical condition with burns to her face, chest and arms. Her fiance, Frank Pamphile, was treated for neck and back pain and later released.

James and his passenger, Nadia Francis, were treated at Good Samaritan Hospital for minor injuries and released.

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