Man's Leg Severed in Route 9 Motorcycle Crash

A Montrose man was hospitalized Tuesday evening after a head-on collision with a truck on Route 9 in Garrison.

Putnam County Sheriff Donald Smith reports that 26-year-old Peter R. Bongers was riding a motorcycle north on Route 9 at about 5:30 p.m. when his motorcycle crossed over the center line into the southbound lane. He collided with an oncoming tractor-trailer driven by a New Jersey man.

According to witnesses, police said, he may have been trying to pass another vehicle.

The impact severed Bongers’ left leg below the knee and also caused injuries to his right leg and left arm. Passersby rushed to help, using belts to make tourniquets for both legs, police said.

The Garrison Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported him to its station, where he was taken by medivac helicopter to Westchester Medical Center. Police did not know his condition on Wednesday.

The other driver was not injured, but the fuel tank of the truck was ruptured, police said.

Route 9 near the intersections of Stone Ridge Road and Denning Hill Road was closed in both directions for four hours during the investigation and clean-up. No tickets were issued and the accident remains under investigation, police said.