Man Killed In Suffolk Crash After Driver Runs Red Light: Police

MEDFORD, NY — Two people were arrested after a fatal crash in Suffolk County Sunday afternoon, police said.

According to police, 29-year-old Malcolm Stewart was driving a 2014 Mercedes-Benz north on County Road 101 in Medford when he drove through a red light and his car struck a 2021 Chevrolet driven by 56-year-old James Palumbo, who was traveling south and making a left turn onto Station Road, police said.

Palumbo, of Yaphank, was taken Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead. Stewart, of Coram, and his passenger, Savanna Steinbach, 23, of Shirley, were taken to the same hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

When officers arrived, Stewart was in possession of a .45-caliber handgun, police said. Officers also found drugs on Stewart and in his vehicle, police said.

An officer was following Stewart's car from a distance at the time of the crash, according to police radio communications. Police have not said why the officer was following the car.

Stewart was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Steinbach was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Stewart and Steinbach will be arraigned at a later date.

Detectives asked with information on the crash to contact the Suffolk County Police Department's Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555.

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