Amazon Truck Crashes Into 5 Cars on Thruway Near Albany

An Amazon truck crashed into five vehicles Wednesday morning on the New York State Thruway in the town of Guilderland, just outside of Albany, killing two people and injuring several others.

According to NY State Police, Larousse Desrosiers, 53, of Boston, MA, was operating a 2012 Freightliner (Amazon Prime) tractor trailer eastbound, when traffic began to slow due to congestion. Desrosiers was unable to avoid the traffic and subsequently struck 5 passenger vehicles.

Samantha E. Bonanno, 35, of Amsterdam, NY, driving a 2017 Ford Escape, was transported to Ellis Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Amanda J. Clark, 34, of Schenectady, NY, driving a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder, was transported to St. Peter’s Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

James G. Fox, 50, of Virginia Beach, VA, operating a 2017 Audi, was transported to Albany Medical Center for serious injuries and is listed in critical condition. A passenger in the Audi, Anthony W. Squillo, 33, of Glenville, NY, was also transported to Albany Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash claimed the life of 33-year-old Brian M. Harper, of Rotterdam, NY, who was operating a 2014 BMW when his vehicle was struck by Desrosiers. Harper was pronounced dead at the scene and was removed to Ellis Hospital pending an autopsy.

The tractor trailer came to rest after crashing into a fifth and final vehicle, a 2016 Volkswagen, causing both vehicles to catch fire. The driver of the Volkswagen was pronounced dead at the scene by the Albany County Coroner and removed to Ellis Hospital pending an autopsy. The name is being withheld until next of kin have been notified.

Desrosiers was not injured and was transported to State Police Troop G headquarters in Latham where he was evaluated by a DRE (Drug Recognition Expert). Impairment does not appear to be a contributing factor and the investigation is pending at this time.