A trooper survived after being hit by an SUV this month in a terrifying accident captured on video in Upstate New York.
The New York State Police released a body camera video Tuesday of the “close call” crash in Duane, a tiny town about 21 miles northwest of Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks.
Troopers said the “near-fatal crash” happened around 8:07 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, at the intersection of State Route 458 and State Route 30 while state police were investigating a property damage accident.
Troopers responded to the accident and parked two marked state police vehicles with emergency lights flashing on the east shoulder of State Route 30, troopers said. One of the troopers, Trooper Bailey Martin, was outside of her patrol vehicle talking with another trooper when an oncoming SUV struck her, troopers said.
Martin’s body camera shows a Dodge Durango on State Route 458 blowing the stop sign, driving through the intersection and striking the trooper before smashing into her patrol vehicle.
“Whoa,” Martin warbles as she tumbles to the ground.
“Are you OK?” a male trooper asks.
“No,” Martin says, before trying to stand up and adding, “I think I’m good.”
The other trooper tells Martin to sit down and helps her stretch out her legs before running to call for help. That’s when the driver and passengers inside the gray 2016 Durango started to step outside as smoke starts to curl from the damaged SUV.
As Martin mutters “ow” and stands up, a man in a neon-yellow safety jacket checks on her.
“Goddamn, are you OK?” he asks.
“I think I’m fine,” she replies.
The driver involved in the property-damage crash Martin was responding to then guides her into the back of her colleague’s car.
Colin M. Wanat, 21, of Eastham, Massachusetts, was the driver of the Durango, troopers said. He told investigators that sunlight impaired his vision and prevented him from seeing the stop sign.
“He attempted to stop and turn onto State Route 30 but was unable to do so,“ troopers said.
Troopers said three people were passengers in the Durango at the time of the crash:
Thomas E. Proia, 22, of Sudbury, Massachusetts
Brendan E. Walsh, 21, of Madison, Connecticut
Ryan C. Surhoff, 21, of Westchester, New York
Trooper Martin was transported to Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone and treated for non life-threatening injuries. She has returned to duty, troopers said.
The Durango’s driver and passengers were evaluated at the scene by EMS. They sustained non-life-threatening injuries and declined further treatment, troopers said.
Troopers did not say whether any tickets were issued or charges were filed.