Sheriff’s Report

The following information was provided by the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Tractor-trailer truck rollover in Dover

The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office reports the investigation into a tractor-​trailer rollover auto accident, which occurred on Pleasant Ridge Road in the Wingdale hamlet of the town of Dover at approximately 8:10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to Pleasant Ridge Road near South Chippewalla Road shortly after 8 a.m. in response to a 911 dispatch for a rolled-over truck with wires down. Upon arrival it was determined that the accident involved one vehicle, a tractor-​trailer, and that it had rolled over and was blocking part of the roadway. The operator and sole passenger was uninjured, and during the accident the truck lost its entire load (approximately 1,000 sheets of plywood). 

The truck was a 2003 Freightliner tractor, pulling a flatbed trailer. The truck is owned by the Seven D. Wholesale Co. of Altoona, Pa. At the time of the accident the truck was en route to Westchester Modular Homes in Dover to deliver the plywood.
The driver was Eduardo Rodriguez, age 46, of Scranton, Pa. 

Preliminary investigation reveals that the truck was traveling eastbound on Pleasant Ridge Road, when the driver lost control on a sharp curve at the bottom of a steep hill. The truck then struck a guide rail and two utility poles before overturning. The investigation into the cause(s) is underway. Pleasant Ridge Road between Harry Hill Lane and South Chippewalla was closed for a lengthy period of time to allow for the cleanup and utility repairs. 

Gallatin oil tanker accident

Columbia County Sheriff David P. Bartlett reports that on Friday, April 11, at approximately 9:45 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched by Columbia County 911 to a one-vehicle accident on Snyderville Road, just north of Bogdanffy Road, in Gallatin. Deputies found a 2003 Peterbuilt tanker truck, operated by Scott Brandt, 44, of Germantown, had been traveling northbound on Snyderville Road and for unknown reasons went off the east shoulder of the road, struck a tree and turned on its side.  

The operator was transported to Albany Medical Center by Northern Dutchess Paramedics for head, neck and back pain. There were no passengers in the truck. 

The name of the fuel company was ASAP from Rhinebeck, and at the time of the accident, the tanker truck was carrying approximately 2,000 gallons of home heating fuel. The spill was contained to the roadway area around the truck. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.  

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit will do a detailed inspection of the truck to determine if any safety violations were contributing factors to the accident. 

The Livingston Fire Company, Northern Dutchess Paramedics, Columbia County Fire Coordinator John Howe, Columbia County Emergency Management Director William Black, Columbia County Hazmat Team and Department of Environmental Conservation assisted at the scene. Investigating for the Sheriff’s Office are Sheriff David Bartlett, Lt. Wayne Lopez, Sgt. Brian Molinski, Deputy Bernard Roberts and K9 Deputy Heath Benansky.

The Sheriff’s Office is being assisted in the investigation by members of the New York State Department of Transportation, who will be conducting the inspection on the truck, and the town of Dover Fire Department.