Deer Are Blamed for Crashes

An 87-year-old man survived a rollover crash on Napeague Friday night after swerving to avoid a deer. Edward L. Schiff, 87, of Manhattan, complained of neck pain after the crash, in which his 2008 Nissan sedan struck a fence and a utility pole. Mr. Schiff, who was alone in the car, had been traveling east on Route 27 when the deer appeared near Marlin Drive at 8:28 p.m. The Amagansett Fire Department’s ambulance took him to Southampton Hospital.

A deer ran into the side of a 2012 Toyota in nearly the same location, near Marlin Drive, last Thursday at about 5:40 p.m. Janet L. Kohlus of Montauk, 73, was headed east when a large deer ran into her vehicle. She was not injured. 

Several other drivers were involved in collisions with deer last week, including an East Hampton Town police officer. On Dec. 5 at about 1 a.m., Officer Robert P. Greene III was operating a marked squad car south on Route 114, near Lincoln Street in Sag Harbor, when a deer ran into the road from the east shoulder and struck the left front bumper, causing damage. A police wrecker towed the 2015 Ford. The officer was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured. 

On Dec. 6, a car hit a deer on Montauk Highway, near Dolphin Drive on Napeague, and kept going, according to Constance A. Keller of Montauk, who told police the animal then ran back into the road and collided with her 2016 BMW sedan. She was not injured.

Other accidents involving deer occurred Saturday at 7:33 a.m. on Montauk Highway near Handy Lane in Amagansett; Sunday at about 4:45 p.m. on Three Mile Harbor Road near Neighborhood House Road in East Hampton, and on Dec. 6 at 5:13 p.m. on Route 114, near Montauk Boulevard in East Hampton. No injuries were reported.