Scarsdale man charged following I-684 wrong-way crash investigation

Bedford Hills, New York – On December 13, 2015, New York State Police from Somers arrested 23-year-old Zachary L. Tokson of Scarsdale, New York, for Criminally Negligent Homicide, a Class E Felony.

On December 13, 2015 at about 5:49 am, Troopers were dispatched to investigate a vehicle traveling the wrong-way on Interstate 684 in the Town of Bedford.

A preliminary investigation revealed that Tokson drove a 2003 Lexus RX300 from the Bedford Rest Area onto I-684 northbound in the southbound lanes and collided head-on with a 2001 Ford Focus operated by 64-year-old Elena Lopez of Mount Kisco, New York.  Tokson’s vehicle was then struck by a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse, operated by 44-year-old Paula Pinheiro-Aloy of Ridgefield, Connecticut, who was also traveling southbound.

Ms. Lopez was the sole occupant of her vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene.  Tokson and his passenger sustained non-life threatening injuries and were taken to Westchester Medical Center for treatment.  Pinheiro-Aloy and her passenger were not injured.

Tokson was arraigned in the Town of Bedford Court before Town Justice Eric Jacobsen and remanded to the Westchester County Jail in lieu of $75,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond and ordered to return to the Town of Bedford Court on December 16, 2015 at 7:00 pm.

Whether or not alcohol involvement was a factor in the collision is still under investigation.  Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to call the New York State Police at Somers by calling (914) 277-3177 or (914) 769-2600.

The New York State Police were assisted at the scene by Bedford Police Department, Bedford Fire Department, Katonah Fire Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office and the New York State Department of Transportation.