NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS INJURED IN UPSTATE NEW YORK VAN CRASH
SOLDIERS WERE HEADED TO WORK IN UPSTATE NEW YORK PRISONS TO REPLACE GUARDS FIRED BY GOV. KATHY HOCHUL FOR WINTER STRIKE
A van carrying about a dozen National Guard soldiers headed to work in an upstate New York prison crashed during a heavy rainstorm. Photo credit: JB Nicholas.
June 20, 2025
About a dozen National Guardsmen were injured, 4 seriously, when the van they were riding in crashed during a rainstorm this morning in upstate New York.
"They took out the whole tree," a neighbor who witnessed the crash told The Free Lance about an hour after it happened. "They skid across the lawn, hit a maple tree and flipped over."
Those that could crawled out of the van. Others had to be extricated.
"They all helped each other get out," the witness said. "From what we could see, there were about four guys hurt. Broken legs. But no real casualties. It didn't look like."
"It was pouring buckets. We ran over there and gave them blankets," they added. "Half of them were in shock."
The soldiers were headed to work in a prison near the Canadian border. They were first deployed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in March on an emergency basis to replace striking prison guards. The National Guards' deployment was extended when Gov. Hochul fired about 2,000 of the striking prison guards, and about another 2,000 quit.
It was still raining when The Free Lance arrived at the scene of the crash on Route 30 just outside Malone, New York at about 7:15am Friday morning. The van was still on the lawn of the house it crashed in front of, and a tow truck operator was preparing to winch the wreck onto his waiting flat-bed truck.
State Troopers at the scene said the crash was the fault of the National Guardsmen themselves: they were driving too fast during a downpour. They were lucky they only hurt themselves, and not any residents. Many of the soldiers are from New York City.
"Driving way too fast," one Trooper said. "We've been saying, we try to cut 'em some breaks, 'you're not from here, we get it, slow it down.' But I'm done cutting 'em breaks. We pull ‘em over and they drive just way too fast."
"They're in their uniform," the Trooper added. "They think they can do what they want."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Send tips or corrections to jasonbnicholas@gmail.com or, if you prefer, thefreelancenews@proton.me