MID-HUDSON – Sunday’s freezing rain resulted in countless accidents across the region and resulting in the closing of major roadways. The Thruway southbound from Newburgh to New York City was closed all morning and into the afternoon. Portions of the Taconic and Palisades parkways and Route 17 in Sullivan County had sections shut down as the roads remained ice skating rinks with black ice.
Vehicles overturned on the extremely slippery surfaces all morning and afternoon.
Two crashes on the Palisades Interstate Parkway (photos: KM Group)
In the late afternoon, a Coach USA bus with no passengers onboard rolled over onto its side while driving on icy Route 17 eastbound in the Town of Liberty near exit 98. State Police said the driver was ejected sustaining serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital where he was listed in critical condition.
Troopers said the cause of the accident appears to be icy conditions and speed unsafe for the conditions.
Eastbound lanes were closed for about an hour while the bus was removed.
Any witnesses are asked to call State Police at 845-292-6600.
State Police investigated a serious one-vehicle crash on Route 55 east of Cunningham Drive in the Town of Union Vale shortly after 9:30 a.m. A Poughkeepsie man, identified as Major Singh Sandhu, 54, was driving along in a 2004 Nissan Titan pickup truck when he lost control on black ice, struck a guard rail and rolled over several times as the truck traveled down an embankment. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was found unconscious near the vehicle.
Sandhu was transported by ambulance to MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie where he underwent emergency surgery for extensive head trauma. Police said he was listed in critical condition Sunday evening.
By late afternoon, Putnam County authorities handed 155 weather-related accidents.
In the Town of Ramapo, police responded to over 70 weather-related calls from 7 a.m. to noon on Sunday.
