16 inmates, 3 DOC employees hospitalized after bus crash on Thruway in Monsey

MONSEY — The northbound state Thruway was shutdown after a dramatic morning accident in which a New York City Correction Department bus transporting 16 prisoners to an upstate prison overturned, bringing traffic to a standstill and sending law enforcement agencies into high-alert.

All lanes, exits and entrances of the Thruway are now open in Rockland County, although long delays persist.

Officials said the inmates were being transported to the medium-security Ulster Correction Facility in Wawarsing after court appearances in New York City at the time of the crash.

The accident occurred around 10:40 a.m. on the northbound side of the state Thruway between Exits 14A and 14B around mile marker 25 in the vicinity of Saddle River Road.

The bus, which was carrying three DOC staff in addition to the inmates, overturned onto the driver's side, stretching across several lanes.

"It appears the bus was cut off by an unknown vehicle which caused the crash," said state police Capt. Evelyn Mallard.

The city's DOC told The Associated Press that there was no evidence prisoners had caused the crash in an escape attempt.

In addition to police canine units and helicopters, the Correctional Emergency Response Team was also dispatched from New York City, officials said. The canine units combed the wooded ravine next to the road.

After the scene was secured, officials said, the inmates were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern for medical evaluation.

The inmates — whose injuries were described as minor — are currently being held in a cordoned-off area of the emergency room.

The hospital expects to treat and release all the inmates and three DOC employees today.

State park police, members of state department of environmental conservation and NYSDEC spill response team remained at the scene as of 12:45 p.m.

A DEC officer at the scene said about 10 gallons of fuel from the bus had spilled and was contained to the pavement. State thruway authorities were handling the cleanup, he said.

The bus was towed from the scene around 1 p.m.

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• monsey
• accident
• inmates
• crash
• 2012
• prisoners
• DOC
• Ulster
• Correction
• Facility
• Wawarsing