‘This is a tragedy’: Teen on life support after Long Island car crash passes away

BABYLON, N.Y. (PIX11) – A teen who was on life support after being hit in a fatal  Long Island car crash has perished, the Suffolk County Police Department announced on Thursday.

PIX11 News has learned 17-year-old Bella Trezza passed away. Trezza was on life support with severe brain trauma, significant blood loss, and multiple broken bones, according to a GoFundMe set up for the teen.

“She was being responsible and picking up her brother and friends and was killed by someone running a light,” wrote Jodie Woeldel Coppola on Facebook. “This is a tragedy. I can’t even think about what her parents are going through.”

On Saturday, 33-year-old Michael Desmond allegedly ran a red light on Railroad Avenue and crashed into a car full of teenagers on Great East Neck Road just after 1 a.m., according to police.

Trezza was picking up her brother Austin and a few friends from a party and was driving home when the car was sideswiped, according to the GoFundMe. Another teen passenger in the vehicle with Trezza was pronounced dead at an area hospital, police say.

Austin Trezza, Bella’s younger brother, is currently in stable condition, according to the GoFundMe. The status of the other two teens is unknown, but they were receiving treatment for severe injuries at a local hospital, police said.

Desmond, the 33-year-old driver who sidewipped the car full of teens, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

This story comprises reporting from PIX11 News reporter Emily Rahhal.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here .

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