Orange County: Weekend Snowstorm Brings 400+ Crashes, No Fatalities

State Police responded to more than 400 crashes during a weekend snowstorm that left hundreds of vehicles disabled or abandoned but, according to their Monday report, recorded no fatal crashes tied to the storm. The volume of incidents snarled roads across the county and taxed emergency resources.

Since the storm began Saturday, New York State Police logged 377 property-damage crashes, 27 injury crashes, and 444 disabled or abandoned vehicles. The tally of incidents required widespread roadside assistance, scene management and vehicle recovery as crews worked to clear key corridors and restore traffic flow. State Police reminded motorists to "slow down, leave extra space, and avoid unnecessary travel when conditions are poor."

The scale of the weekend response has local operational implications. Hundreds of crashes in a compressed time frame increase demand on tow services, volunteer and municipal plow crews, and ambulance and law enforcement staffing. State and local road maintenance priorities and winter staffing plans may face after-action review as officials evaluate whether treatment schedules and public warnings reached vulnerable corridors in time.

Separate from the weekend storm response, State Police reported two fatal crashes that occurred Saturday, January 23, before the storm’s onset. At 2:55 p.m., troopers in Orange County answered a two-vehicle collision at State Route 284 and County Road 22 in the town of Minisink. Police said a 2014 Jeep driven by Joshua R. Stevens, 25, of Westtown crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a 2018 Western Star tri-axle dump truck head-on. Stevens was pronounced deceased at the scene. The operator of the dump truck, Michael Fasce, 38, of Wurtsboro, was not injured. Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the crash to contact the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at State Police Greenville at (845) 344-5300.

Earlier that day at 12:56 p.m., State Police in Highland responded to a two-car crash near Route 9W and Mahoney Road in the town of Marlboro. According to police, a 2010 Honda driven by Isaiah D. Towne, 25, of Montgomery struck a snowbank, overcorrected and crossed into the southbound lane, colliding head-on with a 2023 Kia. Towne was extricated but succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The Kia’s driver, Angela A. Freeborn, 74, of Marlboro, was transported to Mid-Hudson Regional Medical Center with serious injuries and listed in stable condition. State Police Highland investigators are asking anyone with information to contact the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at (845) 344-5300.

For Orange County residents, the weekend’s incidents reinforce the practical consequences of winter weather on mobility and emergency services. Motorists should plan for slower trips, longer response times for roadside incidents, and the possibility of temporary closures while scenes are cleared. Local officials and road crews will likely review winter operations and communications in the coming days to reduce risk in future storms and to ensure resources are aligned where crashes and disabled vehicles concentrate.