Community mourns bishop, wife killed in DWI crash on Southern State Pkwy.

The elderly couple killed in a six-car, wrong-way crash on the Southern State Parkway Sunday night have been identified by authorities and friends as a longtime church leader and his wife, while the driver accused in the crash remains hospitalized and awaiting arraignment.

New York State Police said Bishop Donald Maxwell, 82, general overseer of Pentecostal City Mission Church in Far Rockaway, and his wife, Liscent Maxwell, 88, a reverend at the church, were killed in the chain reaction crash. The Maxwells lived in Westbury.

Authorities said the husband and wife were passengers in a 2016 Toyota Highlander traveling on the eastbound side of the parkway when an out of control westbound Cadillac Escalade crossed the median and came face-to-face with oncoming vehicles. The SUV hit multiple vehicles before crashing head-on into the Toyota Highlander, police said.

The Escalade initially spun out of control after sideswiping a gray BMW in westbound lanes, police said.

Friends and parishioners said on social media that the couple had been returning home from a church event at the time.

The crash unfolded abound 10:13 p.m. as traffic filled the eastbound lanes, including vehicles leaving a Brandon Lake concert at nearby UBS Arena that had ended minutes earlier.

Police have said speed and impairment were contributing factors.

The driver, Diana Kutateladze, 36, of Oceanside, has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, multiple counts of vehicular manslaughter, assault, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving, police said.

She remains hospitalized following the crash, along with several other victims in the crash. A bedside arraignment scheduled for Monday was delayed and is expected to be rescheduled.

Six vehicles and 10 people were involved in wreck

Six vehicles and 10 people were involved in the crash. One of the persons injured in the wreck suffered critical injuries. Other injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

A Pentecostal City Mission parishioner wrote on Facebook: “Woke this morning to hear you’re not with us Bishop Maxwell and wife. Gone too soon. Can’t believe just spoke to you last Sunday… now you’re no longer going to be here. Condolence to the Church Family.”

The police investigation remains ongoing.

_{Top: Liscent and Donald Maxwell (Facebook).}