Thursday, October 1, 2026
A 52-year-old Glen Cove woman has been indicted on charges including aggravated vehicular homicide and driving while ability impaired by drugs in connection with a fiery July 2025 crash in North Hills that killed a 58-year-old woman and seriously injured her husband.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that Nina Varrino was arraigned Feb. 18 before Judge Helene Gugerty on a grand jury indictment charging her with aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, multiple counts of assault and vehicular assault, driving while ability impaired by drugs and combined drugs, and reckless driving.
Prosecutors allege that on July 12, 2025, at approximately 12:49 p.m., Varrino was driving a 2025 Kia Sportage on the South Service Road of the Long Island Expressway between New Hyde Park Road and Shelter Rock Road in North Hills when she crashed into the rear of a 2010 Harley-Davidson motorcycle carrying a 64-year-old man and his wife, 58-year-old Lisa Pelaez.
The couple was heading to Port Jefferson and a motorcycle museum in Oyster Bay when the collision occurred. Both riders were ejected as the motorcycle and SUV became fully engulfed in flames. Varrino exited the vehicle and sustained minor injuries.
Pelaez suffered blunt force trauma and was transported to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, where she died approximately two hours later. Her husband sustained multiple broken ribs, a fractured spine, fractures to both shoulders and a collapsed lung, requiring surgery and intubation. He remained hospitalized for about a month.
According to prosecutors, Varrino had worked the night before as an Uber driver and allegedly stayed up drinking and ingesting drugs. Blood tests taken about four hours after the crash revealed active levels of cocaine and Xanax.
Investigators also allege that about 80 minutes before the fatal crash, Varrino was driving erratically on the Cross Island Parkway and was told by witnesses not to continue driving. Roughly 12 minutes later, she allegedly rear-ended another vehicle on Marathon Parkway in Queens before continuing on to the North Hills crash.
Varrino pleaded not guilty and was remanded. She is due back in court March 20. If convicted, she faces up to 8⅓ to 25 years in prison.
The charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
