Elmont man killed in car crash

Off-duty Nassau County Police Department Detective Alfred A. Samaniego, of Elmont, was killed when his SUV collided with a tractor-trailer on the Glen Cove Road exit off the Northern State Parkway at 12:53 a.m. on Nov. 6.

According to police, Samaniego, 51, who was driving a 2011 GMC Acadia Denali, crossed the northbound lanes of Glen Cove Road after exiting the parkway in Carle Place and struck a U.S. Postal Service tractor-trailer traveling southbound. He was pronounced dead by an ambulance medical technician at the scene. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured, police said. An investigation continued as the Herald went to press.

Samaniego, a detective for more than two decades, was a board member of the detectives’ union, the County Detectives’ Association. The union’s president, Glenn Ciccone, told the Herald that Samaniego, who was assigned to the Special Investigations Squad, was beloved and a true professional.

“We lost a true hero,” Ciccone said in a statement. “He was my go-to guy. He was highly motivated, hardworking and a skilled detective. His impeccable character exemplified his constant professionalism in policing, as well as in his union activities. His dedication was unparalleled. [He’ll] be sorely missed by his police family.”

The NCPD issued a statement on behalf of the Samaniego family to respect its privacy while it mourns.