How Did a Drunk Driver Slam Into an Ambulance and Throw a Patient Off His Stretcher in Bay Shore?

Quick answer: Around 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, 18 October 2026, an allegedly intoxicated driver crashed into an Islip Fire Department ambulance on Main Street in Bay Shore, Long Island, as medics were loading a 26-year-old patient. The impact ejected the man's stretcher from the ambulance, throwing him into the street. He was taken to hospital by a second ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver, 32-year-old Edith Cairo of Islip, was arrested at the scene and charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated DWI.

Key facts

• What: Road crash — car hits ambulance
• Where: Main Street, Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, United States
• When: around 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, 18 October 2026
• Reported toll: 1 injured (non-life-threatening); no deaths
• Driver: Edith Cairo, 32, of Islip — arrested at the scene
• Vehicle: 2017 Honda Accord
• Charges: DWI, aggravated DWI and a third offence connected with the crash involving an emergency vehicle
• Source: Us Magazine, 19 October 2026 (citing Suffolk County police and News 12 Long Island)

What happened

According to Suffolk County police, Edith Cairo's car collided with an Islip Fire Department ambulance that had its emergency lights flashing on Main Street in Bay Shore. Medics were loading a 26-year-old patient from Islip into the back of the vehicle at the time, a police news release said.

Investigators told News 12 Long Island that the force of the crash ejected the man's stretcher from the ambulance, sending him flying off the stretcher and into the street.

A second ambulance was required to transport the man to hospital. Police said he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries; the nature of those injuries was not specified.

Officers found Cairo, 32, of Islip, to be intoxicated while driving the 2017 Honda Accord that struck the ambulance. She was arrested at the scene, detained at the Third Precinct in Suffolk County and held until her arraignment later that Sunday. Court records viewed by Us Magazine indicate she pleaded not guilty to all charges and that her driving licence was suspended pending prosecution. As of the afternoon of Monday, 19 October, the records did not show whether she had retained legal counsel.

The charges and what they mean

In New York, a person charged with aggravated DWI is accused of driving with a blood alcohol content of at least .18% — more than twice the legal limit. According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, a conviction carries a mandatory fine of $1,000 to $2,500 and up to one year in jail.

Why this story matters

Emergency scenes are among the most vulnerable places on the road: responders work inches from traffic while patients — people already in distress — are at their most defenceless. This incident underlines why driving near an ambulance with flashing lights demands full attention and, above all, sobriety. Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the leading preventable causes of road casualties in the United States.

*This article is compiled from verified reporting by Us Magazine (19 October 2026), citing Suffolk County police and News 12 Long Island. Figures may change as the case develops.*

Frequently asked questions

How many people were hurt when the driver hit the ambulance?

One — the 26-year-old patient who was being loaded into the ambulance. He was thrown from his stretcher into the street and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No deaths were reported.

Where did the crash happen?

On Main Street in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, around 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, 18 October 2026.

Who was charged?

Edith Cairo, 32, of Islip, who was driving a 2017 Honda Accord. She was charged with driving while intoxicated, aggravated driving while intoxicated, and a third offence connected with the crash involving an emergency vehicle.

What is aggravated DWI in New York?

It means driving with a blood alcohol content of at least .18%, more than twice the legal limit. A conviction carries a mandatory fine of $1,000 to $2,500 and up to one year in jail.

What happened to the driver after the crash?

She was arrested at the scene, detained at the Third Precinct in Suffolk County, pleaded not guilty to all charges, and her licence was suspended pending prosecution.