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Exclusive: Surveillance video shows SUV crash into St. James business

Suffolk police say a Lexus SUV was heading eastbound on Middle Country Road in St. James when another Lexus SUV tried to go around it and they collided.

Thema Ponton

Apr 2, 2025, 2:06 AM

Updated yesterday

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News 12 has exclusive video of the moment an SUV crashed into a Suffolk oil change business following another crash. "I saw somebody lost control and fly into the bay, it's unbelievable," said Mario Castro, owner of Lee Myles, an automotive shop. The exclusive surveillance video shared with News 12 shows how it all unfolded. Suffolk police say on Tuesday, a Lexus SUV was heading eastbound on Middle Country Road in St. James at 2:22 p.m., when another Lexus SUV tried to go around it and they collided. One of the SUV's lost control and crashed into the Jiffy Lube at 927 Middle Country Road. There was a car inside waiting for an oil change. Joseph Capogna, a Nesconset fire chief, tells News 12 that a woman standing next to that car got clipped by the SUV that crashed into Jiffy Lube and she fell onto the safety net over the oil change pit. "It saved that lady. That pit is about 6, 7 feet down, if she fell down there she would've got severely hurt, so yes, the mesh on that pit saved her from getting severely hurt." said Chief Capogna. Castro, who owns Lee Myles Auto Repair next door to Jiffy Lube, says he raced over to help. "I run into help, you know because I know those guys really well," he says. "I see the lady laying in the floor and then do the best I can, give the water to the lady." That woman and five other people were hurt, including a passenger in one of the SUV's and three Jiffy Lube employees. "Thank God nobody got killed." said Castro.