St. James was still asleep when Patricia Espinosa’s life was cut short, but the shock of her death has echoed across Long Island ever since. Nearly a week after the off-duty Nassau County police officer was killed in a violent DWI crash, an outpouring of support has pushed a GoFundMe for her family close to the $300,000 mark. For many, the fundraiser has become a way to hold on to a woman they say lived to serve and protect.
The campaign was launched by the Nassau County Police Hispanic Society just hours after Espinosa’s death. As of February 7, 2026, it had raised about $284,000, with donations still coming in from fellow officers, neighbors, and strangers moved by her story. The money is meant to support her husband, Officer Francisco Malaga, and their young daughter as they face funeral costs and an uncertain future without her.
Espinosa, 42, died from injuries she suffered in a predawn crash on January 31 along Route 347 in St. James. Police say she was driving west in her Alfa Romeo when a Chevrolet Silverado slammed into her after blowing through a red light at Alexander Avenue. Investigators allege the pickup was moving at extreme speed when the impact occurred.
Behind the wheel of the truck was Matthew Smith, a 20-year-old from Hauppauge, according to authorities. Prosecutors say Smith had been driving recklessly, with speeds possibly reaching well over 100 miles per hour. His blood alcohol content was allegedly measured at .20, more than twice the legal limit. Rum was reportedly found inside the vehicle, and investigators say they have video showing Smith drinking at a bar before the crash.
Smith was arrested at the scene and later arraigned in Suffolk County Court on February 6, where he pleaded not guilty to a driving while intoxicated charge. He appeared in court in a wheelchair, suffering from leg injuries caused by the collision. His passenger, John Andali, 25, of Centereach, was also injured, though police said both men’s wounds were not life-threatening. The case remains under investigation.
Espinosa’s death left a deep wound inside the Nassau County Police Department. An Ecuadorian immigrant, she joined the department in 2017 after previously working as a New York state corrections officer. She went on to become a field training officer, a mentor to younger cops, and the sergeant-at-arms for the Hispanic Society. Friends and colleagues often spoke about her bright smile, her steady leadership, and her passion for community work, including volunteering with Make-A-Wish.
Hundreds packed St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church for her funeral, lining the streets in uniform and in silence. Bagpipes played as her casket was carried out, a final salute to a woman many described as living the American dream and giving back every step of the way. She is also survived by extended family members in law enforcement, including a brother-in-law who serves with Nassau PD.
For donors, the GoFundMe page is more than a collection of dollars. It is a shared promise that Espinosa’s family will not be forgotten. Each contribution, large or small, carries the same message repeated again and again in the comments: Patricia Espinosa mattered, and her legacy will live on through the people she protected and inspired.
