Long Island woman accused of fleeing in police car after fatal DWI crash

LONG ISLAND - A woman was arrested and charged with DWI after she allegedly caused a vehicle crash on Long Island – which left another woman dead – and then fled in a police cruiser, the Nassau County Police Department said.

According to police, Rachel Lodice, 21, of Jericho, was driving a 2023 Kia southbound on Hicksville Road on Tuesday around 6:45 p.m. in Massapequa when she struck a 2022 Nissan Altima traveling eastbound on Sunrise Highway.

The driver of the Nissan, 64-year-old Cynthia Mitchell, was transported to a hospital, where she died from her injuries, police said. A 46-year-old female passenger of the Nissan was also transported to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

A Town of Oyster Bay Public Safety Officer stopped to assist while on patrol. That's when Lodice allegedly entered his marked town vehicle and fled. She was located a short time later and arrested.

In a statement, Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said, "A Town of Oyster Bay Public Safety Sargeant witnessed a car accident take place and immediately sprang into action. While the Sargeant was assisting injured passengers, another individual involved in the accident entered the public safety vehicle and drove away in it. Thankfully, the Town was able to remotely turn off the vehicle’s engine and share the vehicle’s location with the Nassau County Police Department, who then arrested the suspect."

Lodice is charged with vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident, driving while intoxicated, and grand larceny. She is expected to be arraigned today.