Passenger Bus Rolls Over on the New York State Thruway

A scary crash on the New York State Thruway sent multiple people to the hospital Tuesday morning after a passenger bus rolled over in Ulster County.

Bus Rollover on the New York State Thruway

If you were traveling southbound on the New York State Thruway near the Orange/Ulster County line Tuesday morning, you probably noticed traffic backed up for miles. According to the New York State Police, the crash happened at approximately 9:21 a.m. on the southbound side of I-87 in the town of Plattekill. The bus overturned between Exit 18 (New Paltz/Poughkeepsie) and Exit 17 (Newburgh/I-84), bringing traffic to a standstill as emergency crews rushed to the scene.

New York State Thruway

Police said the bus was traveling from Schenectady to New York City with the driver and approximately 23 passengers on board when, for reasons that remain under investigation, it rolled over and came to rest in the grassy median between the northbound and southbound lanes of the Thruway.

Numerous Passengers Sent to Hospital

Ten passengers were transported to local hospitals with what State Police described as non-life-threatening injuries. The remaining passengers, who were not hurt, were taken by another bus to a reunification center established by the Ulster County Office of Emergency Management.

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The driver, 44-year-old Zhangrong Wang of Woodside, showed no signs of impairment, according to investigators. No tickets have been issued at this time, and State Police say the investigation into what caused the crash is ongoing.

The left lanes in both the northbound and southbound directions remained closed for several hours while first responders worked the scene and crews cleared the overturned bus. All lanes have since reopened.

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Did You See Anything?

State Police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has information that could help investigators to contact the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Highland at 845-344-5300.

Thankfully, despite how serious the rollover looked, authorities say all of the injuries are non-life-threatening. Investigators are now working to determine exactly what caused the bus to overturn.