Fatal Chestnut Ridge Car Accident: One Dead, Three Injured

One man was killed and three were injured early this morning in Chestnut Ridge when at car slammed into a tree on Chestnut Ridge Road.

Volunteer firefighters say it took them nearly four hours to cut apart the wreckage to rescue trapped victims. When it was all over, South Spring Valley Fire Chief Vincent Martuscelli Jr. said the car looked like a pile of scrap metal as it was taken away on a flatbed tow truck.

Martuscelli described the wreck as one of the worst he's seen in more than 20 years and he and other officers of the South Spring Valley Fire Department spent time with the department's younger firefighters after the rescue efforts were completed to debrief them. Martuscelli said that for many of the department's younger volunteers this was the first time they had to deal with a fatal accident.

Ramapo police said the accident took place around 4:44 a.m.  just north of Scotland Road on Chestnut Ridge Road. Four men were in a 2005 Toyota going north on Route 45/Chestnut Ridge Road when they went off the road and struck a tree.

One man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Martuscelli said the car ended up about three feet off the ground, embedded in the tree — which had crushed the driver's area in the car.

Two StatFlight helicopters were called in to take two survivors from the crash to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla and the third survivor was taken by ambulance to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern. Martuscelli said he thought a third helicopter was going to be needed, but it was canceled.

Martuscelli said two of the victims are in critical condition.

Ramapo police said their accident investigation unit is  looking into the crash.

Martuscelli said the car was so mangled that he asked volunteers from the Spring Valley Fire Department to bring in all their extrication gear. He said Nanuet volunteer firefighters assisted in creating the landing zone for the StatFlight helicopters. He said the efforts required about two dozen firefighters.

Faist Ambulance, Spring Hill Ambulance and Ramapo Valley Ambulance were there to assist with the accident along with members of Rockland Paramedics.