A Hudson Valley fire department captain was killed in a car accident.

On Monday around 6 a.m., deputies from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a serious motor vehicle accident on Route 32 near Dewitt Mills Road in the Town of Ulster.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a 2015 Ford F350 was traveling north on Route 32 when the vehicle struck or was struck by a tree which fell into the roadway, police say. The vehicle then left the road and came to rest in a wooded area east of the shoulder of Route 32.

The driver, 28-year-old Justin J. Scharschu of Tillson, died from his injuries at the scene. Scharschu is a captain at the Tillson Volunteer Fire Department.

“Our hearts are heavy today, we not only lost a Captain but a son, a brother, a uncle and a great friend," the fire department wrote in a Facebook post. “Rest In Peace Brother, we will take it from here.”

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