Driver Seriously Injured In Palisades Parkway Crash in Nanuet, Airlifted To Hospital

The driver of a car that slammed into a tree alongside the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Nanuet had to be cut out of the wreckage and then was airlifted to Westchester County Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries this morning, according to .

A Chrysler Pacifica hit a tree broadside around 7:55 a.m. today on the northbound side of the parkway just south of the Exit 10 interchange, doing extensive damage to the car and trapping the driver, according to Nanuet Fire Department Captain Bill Schoenleber.

Schoenleber said Central Nyack Fire Chief Michael Healy was on the parkway around the time of the wreck and alerted emergency officials to the crash. Schoenleber said Healy helped Nanuet volunteers as they pulled apart the car and pulled back the dashboard to free the trapped driver — whose leg was caught beneath the dashboard.

As firefighters were working to pull open the wreckage, Schoenleber said members of Rockland Paramedics and members of the Nanuet Volunteer Ambulance Corps worked directly with the victim in the wreckage. He said firefighters and the medical crews worked well together to help the trapped driver.

Volunteers of the New City Fire Department were also called in to assist at the accident scene, along with State Police.

Healy, the Central Nyack chief, said he was on the way to the Rockland County Fire Training Center in Pomona to help teach an instructional course for new volunteer firefighters when he spotted the crash. Healy said the impact of the crash did so much damage to the car that a tree was where the car's passenger seat was supposed to be.

Healy said there was some steam coming from the wreckage when he got to the wreck, but there was no fire from the crash.

Schoenleber said a Stat Flight medical airlift helicopter was called in and landed on the parkway. From there, the helicopter crew flew the crash victim to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. Information about the identity of the victim and his condition is not yet available.

Firefighters were at the scene of the crash until about 9:30 a.m. After that, the northbound lanes continued to be closed for the State Police investigation of the accident. The parkway is now open to northbound traffic.

About 25 volunteers from the Nanuet Fire Department were at the crash scene.