Vehicle driven by VanEps
TOWN OF BETHEL – A state trooper and an Eldred man were injured
on the evening of Tuesday, October 2 when Jesse VanEps, 18, who was driving
toward the trooper’s vehicle and crashed into it head-on.
Both VanEps and the trooper, Brandon Smith, assigned to the Roscoe
VanEps
barracks, were treated at Catskill Regional Medical Center for non-life
threatening injuries.
VanEps was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired
by drugs.
Police investigation found that VanEps was driving a 1994 Jeep Cherokee
westbound on Route 55 as Trooper Smith was driving eastbound.
VanEps’ vehicle drifted into the officer’s lane of travel.
The officer took evasive action but was unable to avoid the crash.
