Elderly Nesconset woman dies in Lake Ave. scooter crash with minivan

A 78-year-old woman riding a motorized scooter died Monday night after a minivan struck her at a Nesconset intersection, Suffolk County police said.

Jie Cao of Nesconset was traveling north on an electric powered seated scooter on Lake Avenue South when she entered the intersection at Smithtown Boulevard against a red traffic light about 6:35 p.m., police said.

A 2008 Toyota Sienna driven by Mario Estrada, 68, of East Northport was traveling west on Smithtown Boulevard with a green traffic light when it struck Cao, according to authorities.

Cao was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Estrada wasn’t hurt in the crash.

The Toyota and the scooter were impounded for safety checks, police said.

Suffolk Police’s Fourth Squad is investigating the crash and asked anyone with information about the crash to contact them at 631.854.8452.

_{Top: Suffolk County Police car (GLI file photo).}