The Tuckahoe Road overpass bridge in Yonkers that carries traffic over the Sprain Brook Parkway has been named in honor of the late Yonkers Detective Sergeant Frank Gualdino.
On Dec. 1, 2022, Gualdino was killed in the line of duty in a head-on crash on Tuckahoe Road when an unlicensed 16-year-old driver who was speeding in a sports car lost control of his vehicle and ran into Gualdino’s police vehicle. After a lengthy investigation, the driver was charged and arrested. The case was heard in Family Court due to the driver’s age. The teenager was sentenced to two-years probation and a little under 500 hours of community service.
A bill to create the roadway dedication was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul earlier this year. The bill was primarily sponsored in the State Assembly by Assemblyman Nader Sayegh, and primarily sponsored in the State Senate by Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and co-sponsored by Sen. Shelley Mayer. Among those providing additional support were Westchester County Executive George Latimer, County Legislator James Nolan, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and the Yonkers City Council.
At a ceremony unveiling signs naming the bridge in Gualdino’s honor, Spano said, “We will never stop supporting our local police officers who, like Detective Sergeant Gualdino put their uniforms on every day and protect and serve our city. This is a moment in our hearts to pause and celebrate his life every time we drive across this bridge. He is with us in spirit and I truly believe that, I truly do. The people of Yonkers say thank you for his service to us. We will never stop fighting for what he stood for.”
Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza said, “We want to show that his service, his legacy and his sacrifice to our community is not forgotten and will never be forgotten. We want the Gualdino family to know that they will always be part of this community, organization and this family — the Yonkers Police Department.”
Gualdino’s window Lisa said that the day was bittersweet for her and her family.
“We are truly grateful to have Frank honored in this way. Frank died on this bridge doing what he loved, serving the people of Yonkers,” she said.
The New York State Department of Transportation placed memorial signs on both the northbound and southbound lanes of the Sprain Brook Parkway at the Tuckahoe Road overpass. The Yonkers Department of Public Works installed memorial signs both eastbound and westbound on Tuckahoe Road at the overpass.
