NASSAU COUNTY, NY — A Nassau County grand jury has indicted a 36-year-old Oceanside woman after a deadly wrong-way crash on the Southern State Parkway that killed two people and injured several others. Prosecutors say the crash involved six vehicles and happened late on March 15.
Authorities say the driver was traveling with her husband when she lost control, crossed the median and kept driving in the eastbound lanes before colliding with multiple vehicles.
What do prosecutors say happened on the parkway?
Police say Diana Kutateladze was driving westbound around 10:15 p.m. when her vehicle sideswiped a gray BMW, crossed the center median and continued in the wrong direction.
Investigators allege she struck several more vehicles before hitting a 2016 black Toyota Highlander head-on. A total of 10 people were involved in the crash, and several were taken to local hospitals.
Who were the victims in the crash?
Two people in the Highlander, 82-year-old Donald Maxwell and his wife, 88-year-old Liscent Maxwell, were pronounced dead at the scene. Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly said they were returning from church when the collision happened.
Prosecutors said Kutateladze’s husband was also critically injured. Donnelly said he remained hospitalized with head trauma and a brain bleed.
What charges and evidence are included in the indictment?
Prosecutors said Kutateladze was traveling 81 mph and registered a blood alcohol content of .15, above the legal limit. They also said she admitted to having a whiskey and coke before driving.
The indictment includes counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, manslaughter, aggravated vehicular assault, vehicle assault, DWI, reckless driving and related assault charges.
What happens next in the case and on the parkway?
Kutateladze has pleaded not guilty and was remanded. She is due back in court on May 20, 2026, and prosecutors said she faces up to 8-1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted.
Separately, New York State Police announced Operation Southern Shield, a targeted enforcement effort on the Southern State Parkway aimed at reducing crashes. The initiative is set to run through June 12.
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