Tara Rincon

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Nov 12, 2026, 5:07 AM

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Updated

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Two Good Samaritans were injured while trying to help people who were involved in a crash on the Sunrise Service Road in Suffolk County Wednesday morning.

The original incident involved a collision between a 2010 Ford and 2015 Chevrolet at approximately 8 a.m. east of Wilson Boulevard in Islip Terrace, according to Suffolk police.

Michael Merkle, a certified EMT, driving a 2018 Dodge Ram, and Brendan Lahti, driving a 2021 Dodge Ram, stopped to assist the motorists.

Shortly after, a 2019 Dodge Ram crashed into the back of the 2021 Dodge, which hit the 2018 Dodge and subsequently both Merkle and Lahti were struck. Detectives are still working to determine which vehicle hit the victims.

The 44-year-old EMT, of Deer Park, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital in critical condition, while Lahti was taken to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore for non-life-threatening injuries, police say.

The woman driving the Chevrolet in the initial accident suffered for minor injuries and the operators of the 2019 Dodge and the Ford were not hurt.

Major Case Unit detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6553.