A 75-year-old woman in Farmingville, New York, was allegedly hit by an SUV while at the parking lot of a firehouse on the way to bingo. This resulted in serious injuries and a subsequent legal battle contesting the officials’ claim that the woman fell and that there was no collision.
As reported by Newsday, the incident occurred back on April 9, 2025. Theresa Vazquez, the aforementioned 75-year-old woman, had parked in the rear lot of the Farmingville Fire Department at about 10:16 a.m.
A few minutes later, as shown in security camera footage shared by the outlet, Theresa can be seen walking toward the firehouse. She was carrying some shopping bags, ready to play some bingo inside the building.
Things took a turn when a blue SUV backed out of a space reserved for fire chiefs and commissioners. Then, Theresa can be seen lying on the floor as the car leaves the area.
Two Versions
This is the main point of contention and where the waters get murky, as the video skips right before the woman fell to the ground. There are two versions of the story, one sustained by an attorney representing Theresa’s state, and the one included in the Farmingville fire incident report.
The attorney, Charles S. Gucciardo, detailed in court papers that the SUV hit Vazquez, knocking her to the ground. As a result, she sustained multiple injuries, including a broken arm, a head injury, and subsequent shoulder pain.
Meanwhile, the incident report stated that there was no collision at all. Instead, officials claim that Theresa lost her balance and fell while trying to avoid getting hit by the blue SUV. As per court papers, the man behind the wheel was Farmingville Fire Commissioner Edward Stewart III.
Furthermore, Gucciardo stated that a police report echoed what the fire department report said, even detailing that Vazquez had told an officer she fell while dodging the SUV. The attorney said that the officer was “dictating to her what happened,” and added, “It seemed apparent that this was a prefabricated rendition of the facts.”
Legal Nightmare
A legal nightmare followed. According to Gucciardo, no notice of claim was presented at the time because Farmingville fire officials failed to share the security video in time.
Reportedly, there is a 90-day window during which people can file notices of claim to sue New York government agencies. The video was provided two months after that 90-day deadline had concluded.
Fortunately for Gucciardo’s case, Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice George Nolan approved his request to file a late notice of claim against the Farmingville Fire Department.
A separate late notice of claim request against Suffolk was also filed, as the attorney believes Stewart was a county employee and his vehicle either belonged to the county or the fire department. No ruling has been made on this second request.
Sad Passing
Following the incident, Theresa spent several months in recovery. Eventually, she was out of the rehabilitation center.
Sadly, only six months following her injuries, Theresa passed away. She lost her battle to cancer.
Now, Gucciard represents the woman’s estate, with Vazquez’s daughter, Erica Christensen, being the administrator. While running into constant roadblocks, the attorney is set on finding justice for what happened to the elderly woman.