Woman Passes Out, Triggers Terrifying Accident in Hudson Valley

A woman who passed out behind the wheel wound up rolling her car off the road in a scary accident this week.

The Red Hook Police Department shared an image of the car that was involved in a horrific crash on Monday. The vehicle landed in an embankment near Route 9G and Rokeby Road. The photo shows the sedan completely crushed on one side and all airbags deployed. The door to the vehicle had been pried off most likely by the jaws of life during the rescue.

Many people took to the police department's Facebook page to offer their own opinions of why the person crashed, with many blaming inattentive driving or bad road conditions. The real reason for the crash, however, was much more tragic.

Catherine Barbieri commented on the Red Hook PD's post to explain that it was her car that was involved in the accident. From a hospital bed, Barbieri said that she felt fine on Monday morning when she got behind the wheel to take her daughter to school. After dropping her off, Barbieri said she suffered an "unexpected medical condition" that caused her to pass out.

That's when the accident occurred, flipping the car off of Route 9G and landing it in what appears to be a small stream. Barbieri sent thanks to the police department, and someone identified as "Todd" for comforting her during such a traumatic time. The witness was the one who called 911 and contacted Barbieri's boyfriend while they waited for emergency personnel to respond.

On Tuesday Barbieri said she was at home "resting." It's unclear what injuries she sustained from the accident or what the medical condition was that led to the freak accident.