By Jeremy Walsh
Around 6 a.m., Freeport resident Emmanuel Rosa was driving his Mercedes southbound on the Cross Island Parkway at Northern Boulevard when he encountered a tow truck stopped to deal with an earlier accident, police said.Rosa, who was traveling at a high rate of speed in icy conditions, lost control of his car and crashed into the rear of the tow truck, police said. He was trapped in the vehicle, which caught fire, police said.A passenger in the vehicle escaped and was taken to North Shore Hospital with non-life-threatening head injuries, police said.Rosa was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.The tow truck driver was not injured, police said. No criminality is suspected in the incident.The Cross Island Parkway has a reputation as a dangerous stretch of road, though more for its interchange with the Whitestone Expressway than the stretch of road running through Douglaston.In August 2007, a crash between a pair of cars allegedly drag racing at the interchange resulted in the death of a Jackson Heights man and injuries to several others. The driver was arrested for driving while intoxicated.In May 2006, a motorcyclist died when he struck the guardrail dividing the Cross Island from the Whitestone Expressway. In 2004, a motorcyclist was killed in a similar incident.Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
