Garrison (Putnam)- Fatal MVA 02-08-07

[ajsbear 11]

Witnesses describe fatal crash in Garrison

By SUSAN ELAN AND TERENCE CORCORAN

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: February 8, 2007)

PHILIPSTOWN -A man was killed and a woman severely injured when their vehicles collided head-on on Route 9 around 11 a.m. today, police and witnesses said.

A woman who witnessed the crash said she tried to help the man, who was trapped in his beige Hyundai, but the efforts of emergency crews were for naught.

"He was alive when I got there," said the witness, Jennifer Gritsipis of Peekskill, 27, an emergency medical technician and Air Force reservist who was driving behind one of the vehicles involved in the collision. "I did what I could. The car was wrapped around him. When the EMTs came and set up the IV, I did what they asked me to do but he died in front of us within minutes. I wish I could have done more."

Gritsipis described the driver as "a big guy in his thirties." Authorities were waiting to notify relatives before releasing identities.

The crash, which happened between the Bird and Bottle Inn and Papa John's restaurant, involved the southbound Hyundai and a northbound Dodge pickup truck.

Diana Chichitano of Peekskill, Gritsipis' friend and passenger, said she saw the Hyundai swerve into the oncoming lane and shouted to Gritsipis to slow down.

The woman driving the pickup was taken by STAT Flight helicopter to the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. Her son, who was riding with her, was taken by ambulance to Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Cortlandt "in less serious condition," said Putnam County sheriff's Sgt. Lee Stabe.

"He made a phone call to his grandmother to say there had been an accident," Chichitano added.

"The four-by-four flipped over," Gritsipis said. "The guard rail kept it from rolling."

She and Chichitano were traveling northbound behind the pickup.

The woman was also trapped in her truck and had to be freed with a pneumatic cutting tool, witnesses said.

The Philipstown Ambulance Corps, the North Highlands and Garrison fire departments, Empire paramedics, sheriff's department officers and state police responded to the scene. The chopper landed at Papa John's.

The road was closed for the police investigation until 2 p.m.

It was the second fatal accident in Putnam County this week.

A Holmes mother of three and a Southeast mother of two were killed Sunday night when their vehicles collided on Route 22 in Patterson.

Edited February 8, 2007 by ajsbear

[Guest]

Putnam has seen a pretty nasty string of accidents, people HAVE to slow down! However, interesting how pin jobs always occur when i'm not working and a particular Medic is in Medic 1.

Edited February 9, 2007 by 66Alpha1

[helicopper 1,050]

Putnam has seen a pretty nasty string of accidents, people HAVE to slow down! However, interesting how pin jobs always occur when i'm not working and a particular Medic is in Medic 1.

←

For one thing the roads in Putnam (Routes 9 and 22 in particular) were not built for the volume or speeds they're carrying on a daily basis. It's really unbelievable to see the back-ups - especially at rush hour.

Couple that with lax enforcement and you're asking for a disaster - and now we've had more than our fair share!

[hudson144 150]

as i had mentioned before mostly with the rte 9 / bear mtn raceway it is time for the state and local government to get together and get the jersey barriers in place, over the years from peekskill down through mt pleasant lives hav been saved because of the barriers or guide rails. rte 9 up there has been a problem forever! come on nys dot wake up and do the right thing to save lives!!!!

[EJS1810 7]

This was one of the "Best" Route 9 accidents I have had to deal with in a long time. I had the dispatch. Cudos to 21-1-1 Chief Nolan (Acting IC-15) who ran a fantastic scene concidering what he had on arrival. I undertand it was a tough call but it was handled properly.

[Guest]

No doubt that the state should look at putting a divider between the north and south bound lanes, its something i surely would support having worked a number of jobs in Rt 9.

As far as enforcement, its true that most everyone who travels Rt 9 get away with some pretty high rates of speed. I myself usually stay with traffic @ around 60 MPH. The marked limits vary from 50 to 40 mph.

I don't fault the troopers or the Putnam County Deputies. There simply isn't enough police presence in the area to begin with. I know that they do make traffic stops frequently on Rt. 9, but with their call volume and limited numbers (i think PCSO only has a handful of cruisers in Philipstown) its impossible to get everyone.

[mlfcemt093 0]

I have had some problems in orange county as well, state rt 17 east and west bound, their have been several bad jobs I have had the missfortune of being a part of...seems like the state needs to get their keister in gear or several more people will lose their lives. Orange county would benifit greatly from barriers dividing rt 17.

Edited February 9, 2007 by mlfcemt093

[ajsbear 11]

Garrison's rescue just went out of service the night before for mechanical problems. We just took it to Cummin'x a few hours before.