3 Die In 3-Vehicle Crash On State Thruway

ULSTER, NY — Three people were killed Sunday in a crash involving a tractor trailer and two passenger cars. New York State Police said the incident happened around 8:30 p.m. on southbound I-87 in the town of Ulster.

Police said Luc Leblanc, 61, of Sala derry-de-val, Quebec, driving a 2010 Volvo tractor trailer in the right lane when he encountered traffic stopped in front of him a mile marker 88.3.

He tried to avoid the collision but ended up striking the rear of a 2012 Honda Accord.

Not only did the front of the tractor railer case extensive damage to the rear passenger compartment, but it continued to push the Honda about 500 feet before coming to a stop in the grass off the western shoulder of the highway.

Police said, as the tractor trailer was pushing the Honda off the roadway, it struck the rear passenger side of a 2007 Kia Sedona minivan which left the roadway onto the east shoulder.

Leblanc was not injured in the crash.

The driver of the Kia, Maheshwarnauth Karan, 26, declined medical treatment at the scene. Passengers of the Kia — Sangeeta Singh, 27, and Saleema Salim, 45, were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries. Ramnarine Singh, 48, was airlifted to Albany Medical Center. A 5-year-old in the vehicle was not injured.

Neta Singh 24, the driver of the Honda, was taken to Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital. Saleena Singh, 18, who was in the front seat, was taken to Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Both had minor injuries.

Three rear-seat passengers of the Honda — Justin Gayapersad, 10, Zulika Salim, 47, and Chelsea Gayapersad, 14, were pronounced dead at the the scene.

The occupants of the Honda Accord and Kia Sedona were all family members from the Bronx.

The accident currently remains under investigation. State police are looking for anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact Inv. Joseph Temple at SP Kingston, 845-802-9296.

Troop F Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Forensic Investigation Unit, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit and Collision Reconstruction Unit responded for scene processing. Troop F Uniform troopers also responded to assist with traffic control. All southbound lanes remained closed for several hours and traffic was diverted off the Thruway at the Kingston exit until reconstruction was completed.

Like Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook Pages.