Teen Driver Cuts in Front of Van; 1 Critically Injured

At about 3:23 p.m. May 23, state police were dispatched by Columbia County 911 to State Route 295 for a reported two-car head-on collision involving two drivers from Chatham.

Police said their iinvestigation revealed that 17-year-old Kiran A. Oakes was traveling eastbound on State Route 295.

A second vehicle, operated by Joan M. Borghi, 82, was headed west.

Oakes attempted to make a left hand turn in the path of Borghi’s van and struck it head-on, police said.

Borghi was transported to Albany Medical Center where she is listed in critical condition.

Oakes and his two passengers were transported to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. Oakes was issued a traffic ticket for failure to yield the right of way.

The State Police were assisted by the Greenport Rescue Squad, Chatham Rescue Squad and Valatie Rescue Squad.

The crash was reconstructed by the State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit.