Springs Man Dies After Motorcycle Accident

Kent Gaugler, 49, of Springs died at Stony Brook University Hospital on Monday evening after he was critically injured when his motorcycle struck a utility pole on Three Mile Harbor Road early Sunday morning.

Mr. Gaugler was driving a 2012 Harley-Davidson southbound on Three Mile Harbor Road near Gann Road when his motorcycle left the road and crashed into the pole at about 1:30 a.m., according to East Hampton Town Police. His condition was not stable enough for him to be taken by helicopter to Stony Brook, so he was taken by ambulance first to Southampton Hospital, where he was stabilized before being transported to Stony Brook, Police Chief Eddie Ecker Jr. said on Monday.

A passerby reported the accident at 1:45 a.m., the chief said. He said that Springs Fire Department volunteers responded, along with East Hampton Village Ambulance Association volunteers and the East Hampton Town Police Department.

Mr. Gaugler was the owner of Live Wire Welding and Steel on Three Mile Harbor Road in East Hampton.

According to East Hampton Town Police Detective Lieutenant Chris Anderson, Mr. Gaugler was officially pronounced dead at 5:03 p.m. on Monday at Stony Brook University Hospital.

Det. Lt. Anderson said town detectives were still investigating the cause of the crash. “We don’t have the results of the accident reconstruction at this time,” he said. “For whatever reason, he lost control of the vehicle, went off the roadway and collided.”