East Meadow Man Charged with Manslaughter in NYPD Officer's Death

An East Meadow man was arrested after an off-duty New York City Police officer from Massapequa was killed in a three-vehicle crash on the Southern State Parkway early Sunday morning.

Jonathan Lopez, 20, of East Meadow, was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, speeding and two counts of assault in the third degree, police said.

According to police, off-duty officer Kevin Jessup, 25, was driving a Nissan Maxima east of Bethpage Parkway when he was struck by another Nissan driven by Lopez around 5:35 a.m., police said. Lopez then rear-ended a third vehicle.

According to police, Jessup and a passenger were transported to Nassau University Medical Center, where Jessup was pronounced dead. The passenger in Jessup's vehicle was admitted for non-life-threatening injuries. Lopez and the driver of the second car Lopez hit were treated and released from area hospitals.

Jessup was a three-year veteran assigned to the 106th Precinct in Queens, according to an NYPD spokesman.

Anyone who witnessed the accident is urged to call the New York State Police at 631-756-3300.