Two teens dead, four others injured in collision in Warwick
By Nathan Mayberg
WARWICK — Two Goshen High School students, Antonio Baglivo and Paul Van Doran, were killed and four others were injured when a tractor-trailer struck their car at the intersection of County Route 1A and County Route 41 (Union Corners Road and Blooms Corners Road) in Warwick on Tuesday morning.
The Goshen School District identified the dead students as well as two other injured Goshen students — Claudia Krebs and Lucas O'Connor, both 16, on the school district's website Tuesday afternoon. Also injured in the accident were the 60-year-old driving instructor and the 61-year-old driver of the truck.
O'Connor was at Westchester Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Krebs, who was driving, has since been released from the hospital.
Police said the car was owned by Decat Driving School of Middletown, and the tractor-trailer is owned by Never Stop Transport in Port Jervis. The students were participating in the Goshen High School's driver's education summer program
No tickets have been issued.
Accident reconstruction specialists from the New York State Police are assisting the Warwick Town Police. The tractor-trailer struck the Decat car on the rear driver's side as the car made a left turn.
At the time of the accident, the instructor from Middletown and four student-drivers were in the vehicle. All of the young people — three boys and one girl — attended Goshen High School, and all were 16 years old, police said.
Both boys who died were rear passengers. One was declared dead at the scene. The other, transported from the scene by ambulance, was declared dead at St. Anthony's Hospital in Warwick.
Meanwhile, the instructor and the 61-year-old driver of the tractor-trailer were taken by ambulance to Orange Regional Medical Center in the Town of Wallkill for treatment.
Police said the truck driver is a Pennsylvania resident. The tractor-trailer was not carrying cargo.
Town of Warwick Police Lt. Thomas Maslanka said the investigation is ongoing and that he couldn't immediately speculate as to whether speed was a factor.
Orange County Emergency Services Commissioner Walter Koury confirmed that emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene of the accident at 10:53 a.m.
The initial call for help stated possible entrapment in the vehicle, he said.
Maslanka confirmed that some of the passengers were extricated.
Dan Connor, Goshen superintendent of schools, posted a notice on the school website that grief counselors will be available for students and staff beginning noon on Wednesday, July 15, in the new gym at Goshen High School. He said the BOCES crisis team is available for additional support, and that grief services will be available to the community for as long as necessary.
Warning about intersectionThe accident occurred in the hamlet of Edenville. Several ambulance companies and local fire departments responded.
Alice McMechen, a Blooms Corners Road resident, witnessed the aftermath.
She has written letters to the county calling for a traffic stop light at the dangerous intersection after numerous accidents there, including some fatal ones.
On Route 1A, the speed limit is posted as 45 miles per hour.
Presently, there is only a flashing light at the intersection. One side flashes red — which means stop — and the other side flashes yellow — which means drive with caution.
"It's far too easy for people to be killed" at the intersection, McMechen said.
While the speed limit is posted between 35 to 45 miles per hour on two of the roads, those speeds are often exceeded, she said. Reporter Nathan Mayberg can be reached at 845-469-9000 ext. 359 or by email at comm.reporter@strausnews.com