Saugerties, NY (April 28, 2026) – A Pittsfield man was killed, and six others were hurt on Sunday, April 26, after a wrong-way driver struck three vehicles on northbound I-87 in Saugerties, New York.
Emergency units responded to the scene at approximately 9 p.m. A Toyota was traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-87 between Exits 19 and 20 when it collided with three other cars. The driver of the Toyota, identified as 42-year-old Joseph Mensah-Otoo of Pittsfield, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
Six other people, drivers and passengers from New York, Dalton, Massachusetts, and Hinsdale, Massachusetts, were taken to a hospital in Kingston with non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash, and more details will be released as soon as they become available.
Our sincere condolences go out to Joseph Mensah-Otoo’s family and loved ones, and our thoughts are with the six others as they recover.
Wrong-Way Crashes on New York Highways: Causes and Consequences
Wrong-way crashes on divided highways are among the most dangerous types of collisions because they occur at combined speeds, leaving almost no time for either driver to react. On major routes like I-87 in New York, vehicles typically travel at highway speeds, which means a head-on or sideswipe impact can generate enormous force. These crashes often result in serious injuries or fatalities even when seat belts are worn.
Wrong-way entries most commonly happen at night and are frequently linked to driver impairment, confusion at interchange ramps, or unfamiliarity with the road. Multi-vehicle involvement is common because a wrong-way vehicle can travel a significant distance before impact, encountering more than one car in its path. New York, like many states, has installed additional signage and lighting at highway ramps specifically to reduce these incidents.
