Tappan Zee Bridge Accident: Multi-Car Smash-Up Caused by Wrong Way Driver (PHOTO)
A Tappan Zee accident has killed one woman and injured four others in a multi-vehicle pile up on the northbound lane on the Tappan Zee Bridge on Tuesday night.
An emergency call was placed to New York State Police at about 8.50 p.m. reporting that a vehicle was traveling the wrong way down the I-87.
Just moments later, police received further calls of a multi-vehicle accident, with some cars rolling over, and numerous people being injured.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Officials have confirmed that 69 year old Michael Schechel from Thiells, New York, was driving a white SUV the wrong way on the northbound lane on the Rockland County side of the bridge.
The SUV hit a Nissan head-on, with the other car being driven by Newman Ayeh-Brachie, 57, from Hillcrest N.Y. Eye-witnesses describe that Ayeh-Brachie's car rolled over several times before coming to a stop upside down in the middle lane of the route.
As the Nissan rolled over, another vehicle, driven by 34 year old Juan Robles, managed to swerve and miss the SUV but ended up slamming Ayeh-Brachie's car.
A fourth vehicle was also involved; 44 year old Nancy Gallo was driving northbound from Basking Ridge, N.J. She managed to avoid Schechel's SUV but ended up rear-ending Robles' vehicle.
Also a fifth vehicle, driven by 40 year old Thomas Gibson from Poughkeepsie, sideswiped Schechel's SUV.
Officials confirmed that a passenger in Ayeh-Brachie's vehicle, Hannah Ayeh-Brachie, 56, died at the scene of the crash.
All the others drivers were injured with a variety of issues, and they were taken to Nyack Hospital. At least some are described to be in serious and critical condition.
The northbound lanes of the road were closed for approximately six hours as investigators took over the scene. The southbound lanes remained open. All lanes on the Tappan Zee Bridge were later re-opened to traffic.
Here is a related video:
