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A motorist stopped on the shoulder of the Long Island Expressway in Dix Hills was killed Saturday when a drunken driver fell asleep behind the wheel and slammed into the parked car, Suffolk County police said.
Asim Iqbal, 40, had pulled over on the eastbound LIE after working a late shift when a 1996 Nissan Maxima struck Iqbal's 2002 Honda Accord at about 4 a.m., west of the Deer Park Avenue exit, police said.
Iqbal, of Nesconset, a father of three, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Maxima, David Thai, 23, of Bay Shore, was awakened by the impact. He was treated for a minor injury to his wrist at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip and released Saturday morning.
Thai was charged with driving while intoxicated and was scheduled to be arraigned Sunday morning in First District Court in Central Islip. He could face additional charges after blood test results are returned, Suffolk County police Sgt. Bruce Markgraf said.
Iqbal, a supervisor at United Parcel Service, was coming home from the regional headquarters in Maspeth.
His family believes he pulled over to take a nap, as he often does after working until 3 a.m. He was only 17 miles from home, where his wife, two daughters and infant son were sleeping.
In a soft voice, Iqbal's uncle, Khan Shafiq, condemned Thai and said the family hoped for stiffer charges against him.
"He knew what he was doing," said Shafiq, 50, of Hicksville. "He drank and then he drove and yet he's still alive. All of us are saying, 'Why didn't he die?'"
Thai, who told police that he had had "a few drinks" at a diner in Queens before driving home, was contrite after the accident and asked if he could apologize to Iqbal's family, Markgraf said.
"I told him to give it a little time," Markgraf said.
Iqbal's car was so badly damaged that the Suffolk police emergency services team had to pry the roof off to remove him, police said.
Police are searching for witnesses and ask anyone who saw the accident to call the Second Precinct at 631-854-8252.
Iqbal emigrated from Pakistan 22 years ago and had worked for UPS for 18 years.
For the last five years, the Iqbals have lived in a two-story, wood-framed house on a block in Nesconset lined with cedar trees. The family moved there from Bayside before his oldest daughter, now 9, started kindergarten.
"He came out here for the children and the good schools," Shafiq said.
Iqbal's wife, he said, is angry.
"She says she has no life without him," he said. "This is a terrible thing for her and the children."
Next week, during spring break, Iqbal had big plans for the kids, he said.
"He was taking them to Disney World," Shafiq said.
Asim Iqbal, 40, had pulled over on the eastbound LIE after working a late shift when a 1996 Nissan Maxima struck Iqbal's 2002 Honda Accord at about 4 a.m., west of the Deer Park Avenue exit, police said.
Iqbal, of Nesconset, a father of three, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Maxima, David Thai, 23, of Bay Shore, was awakened by the impact. He was treated for a minor injury to his wrist at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip and released Saturday morning.
Thai was charged with driving while intoxicated and was scheduled to be arraigned Sunday morning in First District Court in Central Islip. He could face additional charges after blood test results are returned, Suffolk County police Sgt. Bruce Markgraf said.
Iqbal, a supervisor at United Parcel Service, was coming home from the regional headquarters in Maspeth.
His family believes he pulled over to take a nap, as he often does after working until 3 a.m. He was only 17 miles from home, where his wife, two daughters and infant son were sleeping.
In a soft voice, Iqbal's uncle, Khan Shafiq, condemned Thai and said the family hoped for stiffer charges against him.
"He knew what he was doing," said Shafiq, 50, of Hicksville. "He drank and then he drove and yet he's still alive. All of us are saying, 'Why didn't he die?'"
Thai, who told police that he had had "a few drinks" at a diner in Queens before driving home, was contrite after the accident and asked if he could apologize to Iqbal's family, Markgraf said.
"I told him to give it a little time," Markgraf said.
Iqbal's car was so badly damaged that the Suffolk police emergency services team had to pry the roof off to remove him, police said.
Police are searching for witnesses and ask anyone who saw the accident to call the Second Precinct at 631-854-8252.
Iqbal emigrated from Pakistan 22 years ago and had worked for UPS for 18 years.
For the last five years, the Iqbals have lived in a two-story, wood-framed house on a block in Nesconset lined with cedar trees. The family moved there from Bayside before his oldest daughter, now 9, started kindergarten.
"He came out here for the children and the good schools," Shafiq said.
Iqbal's wife, he said, is angry.
"She says she has no life without him," he said. "This is a terrible thing for her and the children."
Next week, during spring break, Iqbal had big plans for the kids, he said.
"He was taking them to Disney World," Shafiq said.
