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The Ulster County accident happened just after 9 a.m. on Friday, June 13, on State Route 28 in the Big Indian area of Shandaken.
Steven Thompson, 62, a tourist from New South Wales, Australia, was behind the wheel of a 2024 Toyota Corolla when he was seen traveling eastbound in the westbound lane of Route 28, Shandaken Police said. His car collided head-on with a 2024 Dodge Ram van.
Thompson and a passenger in his vehicle suffered serious injuries and were both airlifted to Albany Medical Center for treatment.
The Dodge Ram’s driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to Health Alliance of the Hudson Valley Broadway Campus in Kingston. Two passengers in the van were also transported to the same hospital with minor injuries.
Emergency crews from multiple agencies responded, including the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, Shandaken and Phoenicia Fire Departments, and local EMS.
Police say the investigation is ongoing but no criminality is suspected at this time.
It was not immediately clear whether Thompson may have been disoriented due to being from Australia, where drivers operate vehicles on the left side of the road—a stark contrast to the right-side driving system used in the United States.
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