East Hampton Couple Hurt in Sunrise Highway Crash

An East Hampton couple were injured, one seriously, when they were hit as they stood on the side of Sunrise Highway Saturday by a driver who was driving under the influence of drugs, according to state police. They had pulled over to take pictures of a brush fire on the other side of the highway. 

Crystal Hayes, 34, and Christopher King, 38, parked their 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee on the south shoulder of the eastbound lane on Sunrise Highway and exited the vehicle to watch the brush fire developing on the north shoulder, state police said. Ulyana Yaremko, 20, of Hampton Bays was traveling east in the left lane when she hit Ms. Hayes and Mr. King. The accident was reported between Exit 64 in Hampton Bays and Exit 65 in East Quogue at 11:38 a.m. 

In a statement Saturday night, police said Ms. Yaremko "lost control and skidded sideways," hitting the couple and their Jeep. Her 2007 Pontiac ended up in the woods off the shoulder. 

A Suffolk County medevac helicopter landed on the highway and transported Ms. Hayes to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was listed in serious but stable condition, according to police. Mr. King was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead for non-life-threatening injuries. 

As for Ms. Yaremko, she was taken to Southampton Hospital, where she was treated and released into police custody. She was arrested on a charge of driving while ability impaired by drugs. She will be held overnight and arraigned Sunday in Southampton Town Justice Court. 

Sunrise Highway's eastbound lanes were closed for approximately four hours while police investigated the accident.