ATHENS – Thirteen passengers in a church van were injured when it flipped over on the Thruway in the Town of Athens on Wednesday night.
State Police said the group from the Church of God of Prophecy in South Ozone Park was returning to New York City following a visit to Niagara Falls when the driver, Percival Carter, 73, of Jamaica, Queens attempted to avoid another vehicle that changed lane, overcorrected, causing him to overcorrect and lose control. The van flipped over several times.
Cater was not injured. Two of the 13 passengers sustained serious injuries and were transported to Albany Medical Center. The other 11 people sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to other area hospitals.
No criminal charges are pending, and no tickets were issued, according to troopers.
State Police were assisted at the scene by the Troop F BCI and Collision Reconstruction Unit, Coxsackie and New Baltimore fire depertments, and several EMS agencies.
