Photo: The scene of the accident. Credit: New York State Police
By Myrek Zastavnyi
WOODBURY — Two New York State troopers were taken to the hospital after a U-Haul box truck slammed into a parked State Police cruiser on Route 17 in Woodbury, pushing it into a second police vehicle, authorities said.
The crash occurred at approximately 11:22 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, on Route 17 westbound near Exit 130A, according to a State Police statement released Monday.
Police said two State Police vehicles were parked and unoccupied on the shoulder while troopers conducted an investigation. Emergency lights on the police vehicles were activated.
A U-Haul box truck traveling westbound then struck the rear of one marked State Police cruiser with enough force to push it into the second police vehicle, according to police.
Both troopers were transported to Garnet Health Medical Center for evaluation. State Police reported no other injuries.
A separate account published by Daily Monroe shortly after the crash provided additional details about what reportedly preceded the collision. According to that report, State Police had stopped a vehicle on Route 17 and two people were taken into custody at gunpoint. The troopers were reportedly outside their vehicles when the U-Haul struck the cruisers.
Daily Monroe also reported that the Woodbury Fire Department, Woodbury Police and Woodbury EMS responded to the scene. State Police have not publicly confirmed those additional circumstances, describing the troopers’ activity only as an investigation.
State Police have not said what caused the U-Haul to leave its travel lane and strike the parked cruiser. As of Tuesday, no charges or traffic citations against the truck’s driver had been announced.
The collision comes despite New York’s Move Over Law, which requires motorists approaching emergency vehicles stopped along a roadway to exercise due care. On controlled-access highways with multiple lanes, drivers are required to move from the lane adjacent to a stopped emergency vehicle when it can be done safely. The law has since been expanded to cover any vehicle stopped along the shoulder of a parkway or controlled-access highway.
State Police have not said whether investigators believe the Move Over Law played a role in this crash or whether any enforcement action remains under consideration.
The investigation into the collision remains with New York State Police Troop F.
