Victims of Fatal Route 22 Crash Identified

SOUTHEAST, NY — Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports that the victims of Tuesday's head-on crash on Route 22 in Southeast have been identified. The crash claimed the life of one man and sent a husband and wife to the hospital with injuries.

Killed in the crash was Gelsomino Lombardo, 59, of Hopewell Junction, in Dutchess County. Injured were Peter V. Cardone, 72, and his wife, Josephine C. Cardone, 69, both of Bayside in Queens.

According to preliminary reports, Lombardo was driving alone in a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse at about 1:10 p.m. on Tuesday, heading northbound on Route 22 just north of the Milltown Road intersection in Southeast. His car crossed over into the southbound lane of the road and ran head-on into a 2015 Mercedes Benz SUV that Mrs. Cardone was driving, and in which Mr. Cardone was riding in the front passenger seat.

Deputy Sheriffs Kevin Radovich and Thomas Curran were patrolling in a car on Route 22 and came upon the crash just moments after it occurred. They found the Cardones in their vehicle, both with injuries but conscious and alert. They found Lombardo in his car, unconscious and with no vital signs.

Investigation and clean-up closed Route 22 for several hours.