Man Killed Trimming Trees Behind Hauppauge Diner

A man was killed while trimming trees behind a Hauppauge diner on Tuesday morning. 

Nicholas Lourikas, 66, of Centereach, was killed when a tree branch struck him on the head behind the Hauppauge Palace Diner on Route 347 in Hauppauge. 

Suffolk County police said Lourikas was working with another person to cut down storm-damaged trees behind the Hauppauge Palace Diner using a chain saw. Lourikas was hit in the head by a tree branch that he was cutting at approximately 10:54 a.m. Tuesday. He was transported to St. Catherine of Siena via ambulance where he was pronounced dead, according to police. 

"While he was cutting the tree it cracked, probably falling before he anticpated it would fall," said Let. Jack Fitzparick of the Suffolk County Police Homicide Department. 

The Office of Suffolk County Medical Examiner will be conducting an autopsy. The incident is under ongoing investigation. 

Fitzpatrick said residents should be careful when attempting to trim or cut down a tree damaged by Hurricane Sandy. 

" The fact is tree trimming and cutting down trees is a dangerous job that requires care. If you don’t know what you are doing you, you can be seriously hurt or injured. Even professionals get injured," he said.