Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports that a head-on crash on New York Route 22 this morning has sent three men to the hospital, one with very serious injuries who was airlifted by helicopter. The crash, which involved a northbound pickup truck and a southbound Verizon utility truck occurred at about 7:50 AM today (Tuesday) near the intersection of Route 22 and County Route 121 (June Road), about a mile south of the Village of Brewster.

According to preliminary reports from sheriff’s deputies at the scene, the crash apparently happened when the northbound pickup truck, occupied by a male driver, crossed over the center line and into the path of the southbound Verizon truck, which was occupied by two workmen. The vehicles collided head-on, with the force of the impact causing the Verizon truck to rollover down an embankment on the southbound shoulder of the road. The heavily demolished pickup truck came to rest on the northbound shoulder.

A passing motorist came upon the crash and telephoned 911. Sheriff’s deputies and state troopers responded to the scene.

The driver of the pickup was pinned in the wreckage, and volunteer firefighters from the Brewster Fire Department and Croton Falls Fire Department needed about 40 minutes to extricate him using the Jaws of Life. The victim, who had multiple serious injuries, was still conscious when rescuers placed him in the helicopter for a flight to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.

The two men in the Verizon truck had what appeared to be minor injuries. They were given first aid by members of the Brewster Ambulance Corps, Croton Falls Ambulance Corps and an ALS Paramedic and were taken by ambulance to Danbury Hospital for further evaluation.

Route 22 remains closed to traffic as of the time of this News Release and it is expected that the road will remain closed for several hours as investigators work to determine the cause of the crash.