One Fatality Reported In MVA On The NYS Thruway

Woodbury - On Wednesday morning approximately 10:46 AM emergency personnel responded to scene of a multi vehicle accident on the New York State Thruway northbound mile marker 48.8 (near Exit 16).

Responding troopers shut down all northbound lanes which was closed while emergency services treated the the patients.

In press release from the New York State Police they reported that the accident resulted in one fatality. The deceased has been identified as Mark Becker, 53, of Hillsdale, NJ.

The State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit along with the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation were operating on scene hours after the accident, only opening the left lane for traffic to pass.

The preliminary accident investigation revealed that a New York State Thruway plow truck was traveling north and pulled off the road on to the left shoulder due to smoke in the engine compartment, police say in updated press release Thursday.

A second passenger car swerved out of the left lane due to limited visibility from the smoke and struck a third passenger vehicle. A fourth vehicle (passenger car) traveling north in the left lane sideswiped the blade of the plow truck. A fifth vehicle, a 2007 Toyota Prius operated by Mark G. Becker, 53, of Hillsdale, NJ, was traveling alone behind all the activity and slowed in the right lane, possibly to a stop. A sixth vehicle (tractor trailer) swerved left, avoided the Prius, and slowed down. A seventh vehicle (tractor trailer) traveling north in the right lane struck the Prius from behind which pushed it into the rear of the other tractor trailer.

Becker was pronounced dead by the Orange County Medical Examiner. A total of six people were transported to St. Lukes Cornwall Hospital where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.

No arrests were made in the incident and the investigation is ongoing.

{NewYorkBuffMedia Newsroom - Photos by: @MonseyAlerts}