A veteran Yonkers police sergeant was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Thursday.
According to investigators, Sgt. Frank Gualdino was driving on Tuckahoe Road near the Sprain Brook Parkway overpass at around 4 p.m. when the driver of a BMW suddenly lost control, crossed into the opposite lanes and slammed into the sergeant’s vehicle and a Westchester County Bee-Line bus.
Gualdino, 53, was on-duty and in an unmarked car at the time, police said. He was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead.
Friday, police said an unlicensed 16-year-old was behind the wheel of the BMW and that he remains hospitalized in critical condition.
The bus driver and about 30 passengers are expected to be OK.
Yonkers motorcycle cops returned to the crash scene Friday to honor one their own as family members of Sgt. Frank Gualdino spent a somber half hour visiting the spot where their loved one died.
“Yesterday we lost someone who was a friend, a sergeant, a decorated officer, good family man,” Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said.
Gualdino was married to Lisa, and a father to Emily and Mark. He was just nine months away from retirement.
Chopper 2 was over the scene Thursday after a teenager driving a BMW M5 smashed into Gualdino’s police car at a high rate of speed. Dashcam video shows the $150,000 sports car recklessly skidding – the video stops at the moment of impact.
“You have a 16-year-old unlicensed driver in a fast sports car. This became weaponized, the sports car. This isn’t a routine accident, this isn’t negligence where our sergeant was doing something he shouldn’t have been doing. This is a 16-year-old kid driving recklessly and as a result someone has died,” said Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza.
The circumstances, involving a teen driver, is drawing strong reactions.
“It’s a shame when they’re unsupervised and they’re so young,” said Yonkers resident Barbara Clark.
“Tragic story, and unfortunately it’s what teenagers do, and parents have to try to safeguard their keys to their vehicles,” said Yonkers resident Marcel Stevenson.
Sad symbols of grief now punctuate police uniforms and buildings in Yonkers: Flags at half staff, bunting at the first precinct where Gualdino served with distinction.
“Frank is a close friend and he’s a cop’s cop. This is the most horrible loss that we’ve sustained,” Sapienza said.
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