Homicide Charge Filed in Fatal Wrong-Way Crash in Bedford

Updated at 6:34 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015: A 23-year-old Scarsdale man has been charged with felony Criminally Negligent Homicide in connection with the fatal wrong-way crash on I-684 Sunday morning in Bedford.

Mount Kisco resident Elena Lopez, 64, was killed in the crash, which occurred at about 5:49 a.m. in the southbound lanes near the Bedford Rest Area on the thruway.

Arrested was Zachary L. Tokson, who state police said was driving a 2003 Lexus RX300 out of the rest area north in the southbound lanes. He collided head-on with a 2001 Ford Focus operated by Lopez, and then Tokson’s vehicle was struck by a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse, operated by 44-year-old Paula Pinheiro-Aloy of Ridgefield, CT, who was also traveling southbound.

“Ms. Lopez was the sole occupant of her vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene,” state police said. “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, according to state police. He is due back in court on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m.

“Whether or not alcohol involvement was a factor in the collision is still under investigation,” state police said.

Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to call the New York State Police at Somers at (914) 277-3177 or (914) 769-2600.

Photo: Zachary L. Tokson. Photo credit: NYS Police

Original story: A fatal two-car crash on I-684 in Bedford is under investigation by state police, authorities announced Sunday morning.

The crash occurred at about 5:49 a.m. in the southbound lanes, which were closed near the Route 35 exit following the incident while troopers conducted a collision reconstruction.

Details of the crash were not immediately available.

Traffic through the area was snarled as a result of the crash, road closure and investigation. Vehicles were being detoured onto the service road at Exit 6, according to state police. Cars were directed to continue to the Saw Mill Parkway southbound, and trucks were being told to use the Route 117 bypass to Route 172, back onto I-684 at Exit 4.

The southbound lanes have since been reopened, according to state police.