‘Dedicated’ Police Officer and Mom, 42, Killed in Crash Involving Suspected Drunk Driver: ‘A Profound Loss’

A Long Island community is grieving after a Nassau County police officer was killed in a crash involving a suspected drunk driver while she was on her way to work.

Officer Patricia Espinosa, 42, was driving a 2019 Alfa Romeo westbound on Route 347 in Suffolk County at about 6:06 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, according to a press release from the Suffolk County Police.

Police said a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by 20-year-old Matthew Smith of Hauppauge, was traveling northbound on Alexander Avenue when he allegedly failed to stop at a red light and struck Espinosa’s vehicle.

Espinosa was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said. Smith and his passenger, John Andali, 25, of Centereach, were also transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Smith has been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), according to police. Both vehicles were impounded as investigators continued to review the circumstances of the crash.

In the days following Espinosa’s death, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from Monday, Feb. 2, through the late officer’s burial.

“Heartbroken over the passing of Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, a beloved member of the Fifth Precinct,” Blakeman wrote on Instagram, adding that he had previously marched alongside her in the Puerto Rican Day parade. He also offered condolences to her husband, Police Officer Francisco Malaga, and her brother, Police Officer Christian Almeida.

Espinosa had served with the Nassau County Police Department since 2017.

In a statement posted to Facebook, Tommy Shevlin, president of the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, remembered Espinosa as a “dedicated” officer who “served with honor, courage and compassion.”

“Her death in a violent crash caused by a driver charged with DWI is a profound loss to our department, our county, and every community she protected,” he said.

Shevlin added that Espinosa is survived by her 2-year-old daughter, Mia, who he said “will grow up knowing her mother was a hero.”

“Patricia understood the sacrifices of this profession not just as an officer, but as a wife, a sister, and a mother in blue,” he wrote. “That her life was taken in such a senseless act makes this loss even more painful.”

He concluded by saying the department would continue to support Espinosa’s loved ones and honor her legacy.

The Nassau County Police Medic Association also paid tribute to Espinosa on Facebook, calling her a “dedicated public servant and cherished colleague” who served her community “with courage and compassion.”

Suffolk County Police asked anyone with information about the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6553.