West Nyack, NY – A single-vehicle crash in West Nyack early Tuesday morning resulted in the death of a man who investigators believe was attempting to help those involved in the accident before he accidentally fell down a steep embankment.
According to the Clarkstown Police Department, officers responded at approximately 1:20 a.m. on July 28 to a report of a single-vehicle crash on Palisades Center Drive opposite Home Depot.
When officers arrived, they found a green Toyota Camry that had left the roadway while traveling south on Palisades Center Drive. Police said the vehicle struck a guardrail, crashed through a fence, and overturned onto its driver’s side.
Both occupants had exited the vehicle before officers arrived. Police said the passenger, a 32-year-old man, told responding officers that he had managed to free himself from the overturned vehicle and that the 18-year-old female driver was no longer inside. He also reported that a passing motorist had stopped to assist following the crash but was unsure where the individual had gone.
While searching the area, officers heard the driver calling for help from below a retaining wall approximately 30 to 40 feet beneath the roadway in a densely wooded area. Officers descended the embankment from below and located the injured driver along with an unresponsive adult male.
Members of the Clarkstown Police Department and the West Nyack Fire Department worked together to safely remove the injured driver from the embankment. Emergency medical personnel transported both the driver and the passenger to local hospitals for evaluation. Rockland Paramedic Services and the Nyack Community Ambulance Corps assisted with patient care and transportation.
Police identified the deceased as a 43-year-old man from Maybrook, New York. Investigators believe he had stopped after witnessing the crash in an effort to assist those involved. According to the preliminary investigation, the man approached the edge of the retaining wall after hearing the driver calling for help and accidentally fell down the embankment, suffering fatal injuries.
Authorities said his identity is being withheld until family members have been notified. The Clarkstown Police Department expressed its condolences to the man’s family and loved ones.
Following the preliminary investigation, police arrested the 18-year-old driver, who is from Carmel, New York. She has been charged with one count of Driving While Intoxicated, a misdemeanor, as well as additional violations of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law related to the crash.
Police said the driver was issued an appearance ticket and released. She is scheduled to appear in the Town of Clarkstown Justice Court at a future date.
The Clarkstown Police Department’s Accident Investigation Unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding both the crash and the fatal fall. Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that may assist the investigation to contact the Clarkstown Police Department at (845) 639-5800.
Authorities emphasized that the charges filed against the driver are accusations. Under the law, all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
