TAGHKANIC – A milk tractor-trailer
tanker carrying thousands of gallons of milk overturned late Saturday
afternoon on Columbia County Route 10 just south of Strohmeier Lane in
the Town of Taghkanic, spilling milk. It contained several thousand gallons,
but authorities could not determine exactly how much spilled.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office reported that the driver, Brian
Gelinas, 49, of Red Hook, was driving southbound when he was unable to
make it up the hill because of slippery conditions, slid backwards, jackknife,
and overturned blocking the road.
Gelinas was not injured and immediately called 911 to report what had
happened.
At the same time, a 48-year-old Cambridge, Massachusetts woman was driving
a 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe truck northbound and was unable to stop, striking
the milk truck head-on. Renea Fontanez and four of the five people in
her vehicle complained of pain and were treated at the scene.
The accident remains under investigation.
Greenport Rescue Squad, Taghkanic Fire Department, and Josh Ufberg from
the state DEC assisted at the scene.
Investigating for the sheriff’s office were deputies Jason Garvey
and Michael Meier.
