A New York State trooper died today after being injured in a car collision outside the State Police barracks in Fonda.
New York State Police Superintendent George Beach says around 7:45 Tuesday morning, Trooper Jeremy VanNostrand was arriving for work in his Nissan Altima when he became involved in a motor vehicle crash. "Trooper VanNostrand was stopped in the westbound lane of State Highway 5S, waiting to turn into the station in his personal vehicle when he was rear-ended by a box truck and pushed into oncoming traffic. Trooper VanNostrand's vehicle was then hit by a pickup truck traveling eastbound. Trooper VanNostrand was transported to Albany Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries."
Beach says the 36-year-old Schenectady County resident joined the State Police in December 2012. "During those six years, Trooper VanNostrand served in Troop F at SP Middletown and SP Liberty, and in Troop G at SP Granville, and his latest assignment, SP Fonda. Prior to his State Police service, Trooper VanNostrand served as a Correction Officer for eight years with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Trooper VanNostrand is survived by his wife, their daughter, his parents, his two brothers."
Beach says the driver of the box truck, 32-year old Aaron Munsie of Amsterdam, was not injured. The driver of the pickup truck, 52-year old Robert Crews of Fort Plain, was taken to St. Mary's hospital with injuries that not believed to be life-threatening.
Troop Commander Major Robert Patanude: "I really didn't know Jeremy personally, but he was an outstanding trooper, very aggressive hardworking kid. The kind of trooper we like on the road and that the public should like on the road. Out there stopping cars, talking to people, doing excellent investigations, good interdiction work. He's gonna be sorely missed."
Trooopers say weather does not appear to be a factor in the crash, no tickets have been issued and the investigation into the crash is ongoing.
It’s considered an on-duty death. Beach notes it's been less than five months since the last state trooper death in New York, and there is a large employee assistance program that steps in when such tragedies occur.
Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered flags to half-staff until VanNostrand is buried.
