Horror Wrong-Way Crash In Saugerties Leaves One Dead, Six Hospitalized: State Police
A wrong-way driver was killed while causing a horrific four-car crash on the New York State Thruway on Sunday night, April 26, authorities said.
Joseph Mensah-Otoo, 42, was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 87 through Saugerties when he collided with three other vehicles, leaving his own car a mangled wreck, New York State Police said Monday, April 27.
Mensah-Otoo, of Pittsfield, MA, was ejected from his vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, state police said. A photo from the scene showed Mensah-Otoo’s vehicle was barely recognizable beyond the rear tires.
New…
Driver In DWI Crash That Killed 4-Year-Old, Injured 2 More In Spring Valley Learns Fate
A man who admitted to causing a horrific drunken-driving crash in Rockland County that killed a young child and seriously injured two others will spend years in prison, prosecutors said.
Spring Valley resident Axel I. Lopez-Santiago, 41, was sentenced to two consecutive six-year prison terms, totaling 12 years, in Rockland County Court before Judge Kevin F. Russo, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced on Thursday, March 5.
Lopez-Santiago previously pleaded guilty to the entire eight-count indictment, including charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, second-d…
Man Hits Patrol Car, Injures Deputy, Flees Into Woods During Patterson Traffic Stop: Sheriff
A 33-year-old man faces felony charges after allegedly assaulting a deputy during a DWI stop in Putnam County, authorities said.
The incident began around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, when a deputy pulled over a vehicle for speeding on Route 22 near Haviland Hollow Road (Route 68) in Patterson, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced.
The driver, later identified as Paul J. Cheque-Tacuri, 33, of Patterson, was suspected of being drunk, authorities said.
As the deputy investigated, Cheque-Tacuri’s vehicle rolled backward, hitting the patrol car. When the depu…
Drunk Driver Found Sleeping In Car On I-95 In Pelham Almost Hits Cop After Waking Up: Nysp
A driver from New Jersey is accused of passing out drunk behind the wheel in an active work zone on Interstate 95 in Westchester County, NY, then nearly hitting a trooper as he tried to drive away, police said.
The incident a little before 11:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, in the town of Pelham, according to New York State Police.
Troopers said they found Ramiro Efrain Tarcoguaman, 27, of New Jersey, unresponsive inside a 2013 Chevrolet stopped in the northbound center lane.
Officers broke a rear passenger window to reach him, at which point he allegedly shifted into drive, forcing a tr…
Erratic Drunk Driver Caught With Young Teen In Car On Route 55 In LaGrange: Police
A 62-year-old woman was arrested for drunk driving with a child passenger after a traffic stop in Dutchess County, authorities said.
The arrest happened on Sunday, Aug. 31, at around 6:30 p.m. on Route 55 in LaGrange, New York State Police announced on Monday, Sept. 1.
Troopers stopped a Jeep Wrangler after a BOLO alert from Dutchess County 911 reported the vehicle driving erratically. The driver, identified as 62-year-old Angela P. Torres of Jackson Heights, Queens, showed signs of being intoxicated, police said.
A 15-year-old child was also inside the vehicle at the time, aut…
Woman In Stolen Car Crashes In Gloucester Twp Work Zone, Found With Gun, High-Capacity Mags: PD
A Philadelphia woman is facing a long list of charges after police say she fled from officers in a stolen car, crashed in a Gloucester Township work zone, and was found with a revolver, high-capacity magazines, and drugs.
On Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, at 2:27 p.m., Gloucester Township police officers were at the Howard Johnson Hotel for an unrelated call when a white Honda Accord entered the lot, Capt. Daniel Long said.
An Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) alerted that the vehicle was stolen out of Philadelphia, PA, police said. When officers tried to stop the car, a passenger jumped out …
Yonkers Drunk Driver Had 4 Kids In Car At Time Of Arrest, Police Say
A Hudson Valley man is facing felony charges after he was caught driving drunk with four children in the car, police said.
Ruben Fernandez-Urena, 34, of Yonkers, was arrested early Sunday, July 27, following a traffic stop on I-87 near Exit 9 in Tarrytown, according to New York State Police.
During the stop, Fernandez-Urena appeared intoxicated and failed multiple field sobriety tests, police said. A breath sample taken at the Tarrytown barracks reportedly showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.12%.
Inside the car were four child passengers, ages 12, 11, 7, and 5.
Fernandez-Urena was a…
Speeding Driver Was High, Drunk During Patchogue Crash Injuring Passenger, DA Says
A 21-year-old man is facing DWI charges after crashing his BMW into a tree and seriously injuring his passenger, prosecutors said.
Andy Bonilla-Chicas, of Yaphank, was arraigned on vehicular assault and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Tuesday, July 22, in connection with a crash along Sunrise Highway Service Road in Patchogue.
Bonilla-Chicas was speeding eastbound when his vehicle veered off the road, went airborne, struck a tree, and landed in an embankment just before 3:30 a.m. Sunday, April 27, according to prosecutors.
The force of the crash threw the front-seat passenger in…
Wrong-Way Drunk Driver With Baby In Backseat Flees Cops, Then Tries Again In Brewster: Nysp
A Putnam County woman is facing a slew of charges after allegedly driving drunk with a one-year-old in the back seat, giving police a false name, and trying to flee a traffic stop twice, police said.
The incident happened on Wednesday night, July 16, around 10 p.m., when a trooper on patrol spotted a vehicle traveling the wrong way down Main Street (Route 6) in Brewster, nearly causing a head-on crash and committing multiple traffic violations, New York State Police said on Thursday, July 17.
According to police, the driver, later identified as 30-year-old Carol A. Julian-Ramire…
Drunk Driver Caught With 12-Year-Old In Car On Taconic Parkway In East Fishkill: Nysp
A 54-year-old man is facing felony charges after allegedly driving drunk with a 12-year-old child in his vehicle on the Taconic State Parkway in Dutchess County, police announced.
The arrest followed a traffic stop at around 10:42 p.m. on Friday, July 11, when a trooper pulled over a Ford traveling northbound on the parkway in East Fishkill for multiple traffic violations, New York State Police announced on Monday, July 14.
The driver, identified as Preston J. Kellner, age 54, of Pleasant Valley, showed signs of intoxication and failed field sobriety tests at the scene, troopers said.…
Drunk Driver Barrels Into Montauk Art Show, Narrowly Missing Security Guards, Police Say
An alleged drunk driver tore through the heart of Long Island's art community, destroying tents and artwork, and narrowly avoiding tragedy.
The harrowing incident happened at the Montauk Art Show, located at Carl Fisher Plaza, at around 3 a.m. Sunday, June 29.
A “heavily intoxicated woman” in an SUV sped through a barricade and crashed into several tents set up for the show, witness Evan Reinheimer recounted on a GoFundMe campaign.
“Some artists lost EVERYTHING,” Reinheimer wrote, adding that two security guards narrowly escaped injury.
The crash destroyed more than half a dozen artist t…
Man Gets More Charges In DWI Crash That Killed 4-Year-Old, Injured 2 More In Spring Valley: DA
A driver accused of killing a 4-year-old girl and seriously injuring two others in a devastating DWI crash in Rockland County has been hit with a new manslaughter charge, prosecutors announced.
Axel I. Lopez-Santiago, 41, was indicted on Thursday, June 26, on three counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, felony DWI, and reckless driving, Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh announced.
The indictment stems from a Saturday, June 14 crash in Spring Valley. Authorities say Lopez-Santiago was driving at a high speed while into…
Drunk Driver Crashes ATV On Dutchess Rail Trail In LaGrange, Accomplices Then Hide It: Police
A drunk ATV crash on a rail trail in Dutchess County led to injuries and several arrests after police say two Hudson Valley men tried to cover up the scene.
The crash happened on Saturday, June 21, on the Dutchess Rail Trail in LaGrange, where troopers responded to a report of an All-Terrain Vehicle crash with injuries, New York State Police announced on Monday, June 23.
When they arrived, troopers found Putnam County resident Nicholas J. Hunt, 24, of Putnam Valley, and a 25-year-old passenger from Newburgh, both injured. Their injuries were non-life-threatening, according to po…
Repeat DWI Driver Flips Car, Wrecks 4 Parked Vehicles On Route 9W In Clarkstown: Cops
A 35-year-old Rockland County man was arrested for felony DWI after a wild crash wrecked multiple parked vehicles and left his car flipped in the road, police said.
The crash happened earlier this week on South Route 9W near house number 922 in Congers, police said in a release issued Saturday, June 21.
When officers arrived, they found five damaged vehicles, including a red Toyota Camry that had reportedly veered into the opposite lane, corrected, and then slammed into four parked cars before flipping and landing upright in the roadway.
The driver, identified as Stephen Kutcher, of Conger…
Man Drives Drunk With 6-Year-Old In Car On Taconic In Pleasant Valley: Nysp
A 32-year-old man is facing a felony DWI charge under Leandra’s Law after allegedly driving drunk with a child in the car on the Taconic State Parkway in Dutchess County, police said.
The incident began at around 10:48 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3, in Pleasant Valley, New York State Police announced on Saturday, June 7.
Troopers pulled over a 2020 Acura heading southbound on the Taconic State Parkway for multiple vehicle and traffic violations. The driver, identified as Donny J. Peralta Parra, 32, of Queens, appeared to be intoxicated, police said.
After failing field sobriety tests…
