State Police from Somers investigate four-car crash on Interstate 684

Southeast, New York – On April 24, 2016 at approximately 1:00 p.m., New York State Police from the Somers barracks responded to a four-car collision that occurred on Interstate 684, about a half of a mile south of Exit 9E.

Troopers investigating the crash determined that 33-year-old Nirva Vital of Newark, New Jersey, Dean H. Powell, age 56, of Franconia, New Hampshire, and Daniel A. Gonzalez, 49 years old, of North Bergen, New Jersey, were all traveling northbound on Interstate 684. All three vehicles were stopped in the right lane due to heavy traffic delays.  A fourth vehicle, operated by 47-year-old Emmanuel J. Bartee, of Williamsburg, Virginia, was also traveling northbound on I684.  Bartee was unable to stop the 2003 Freightliner tractor trailer he was operating and subsequently struck the rear of Gonzalez’s vehicle.  Gonzalez, who was also operating a Freightliner tractor trailer, struck the rear of the vehicles Powel and Vital were driving.

It took emergency personnel several hours to extricate Bartee from the cab of his truck.  Bartee was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.  Gonzalez was transported to Danbury Hospital where he was treated and released.  No other injuries were reported to police at the scene of the crash.

The State Police were assisted by several Putnam County Fire Departments and Stat Flight.