Fatal Accident Rt 9H/23 Claverack 03/05/10

A high speed chase that started in Dutchess County ended in Columbia County with a fatal accident.
Reliable sources say Red Hook police attempted to stop a car in their town. The driver of the car took off and
Red Hook and State Police pursued the car up Rt. 9 to Claverack. Scanner reports say the car had approached
speeds of 90 mph during the pursuit. It’s believed that the car crashed into the truck on Route 23/9H near
Valley Oil.

Claverack Firefighters and Greenport Rescue were dispatched by Columbia 911 just before 2:30pm. A helicopter was placed on standby but was cancelled by EMS Command. EMS Command requested Philmont Rescue to the scene.

The driver of the car was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the up truck walked away from the accident and refused medical treatment.

State Police Investigators and SP re-creation teams are expected to be on the scene until 6pm. Rt. 9H is closed
south of the Claverack light. Traffic is being re-routed.

The EMS Coordinators Office and Coroner Nero were on the scene.

State Police at Livingston are investigating a fatal auto accident that occurred at 2:19pm on State Route 9H in the Town of Claverack, Columbia County . A car being pursued by police northbound crossed the center of Rt 9H into the path of a southbound dump truck operated by 33 year old George Duryea of Nassau NY, Duryea’s truck overturned on the west shoulder and he escaped unharmed. The car came to rest in the parking lot of a local business on the east side of Rt. 9H , the driver of the car a 44 year old Dutchess County man died at the scene. The Village of Red Hook Police investigating a suspicious person stopped the car which eventually fled the traffic stop, Red Hook Police marked patrol car pursued the subject north on Rt 9 into Columbia County where State Police patrols attempted rolling roadblocks to slow the subject down. The subject evaded the roadblocks continuing on at a high rate of speed northbound on Rt 9H. resulting in the crash. State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit , Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, Greenport Rescue Squad, Philmont Rescue Squad, Claverack Fire Dept. and Coroner Angelo Nero assisted at the scene. The car was reported as stolen from the Millbrook NY area earlier today, the investigation is continuing.