Staten Island, NY (October 10, 2026) – The NYPD is investigating a fatal wrong-way crash on the West Shore Expressway that killed one driver and sent four others to the hospital, according to police. The 66-year-old woman who died was traveling in the correct direction when a wrong-way vehicle struck her car.
Police said a Range Rover operated by a 36-year-old woman was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes when the Kia Seltos operated by the 66-year-old woman, traveling southbound, struck it. A Jeep operated by a 21-year-old woman, also traveling southbound, then struck both the Kia and the Range Rover.
The 66-year-old driver of the Kia Seltos was pronounced dead at the scene. The 36-year-old Range Rover driver, the 21-year-old Jeep driver, a 21-year-old female passenger in the Jeep, and a 22-year-old male passenger in the Jeep were all transported to Richmond University Medical Center in stable condition.
Police said all operators remained at the scene following the crash. The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad is investigating. No arrests have been made. The name of the 66-year-old victim has not been released.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
What to Do After a Wrong-Way Crash on Staten Island, NY
According to the NYC Department of Transportation’s 2025 annual traffic safety report, Staten Island recorded 13 traffic fatalities in 2025. Wrong-way expressway crashes carry an elevated risk of fatal injury because of closing speed and the limited reaction time available to drivers traveling in the correct direction.
- Get evaluated the same day. Whiplash, traumatic brain injury, and internal bleeding may not produce obvious pain immediately after a high-speed collision. Anyone injured in this crash should go directly to an emergency room or urgent care and request a full workup. Document every symptom, and keep all records, prescriptions, and medical bills from the first visit forward.
- Preserve evidence before it disappears. Ask police for the crash report number and request that the vehicles not be released from the tow lot before an attorney can inspect them. If dashcam footage was recording in any of the three vehicles, secure it immediately, since many devices overwrite on a loop. Note whether any nearby cameras on the expressway or access roads may have captured the crash.
- Report to insurance carefully. New York’s no-fault law requires written notice to your own auto insurer within 30 days of the crash. File that notice promptly. Do not give a recorded statement to the wrong-way driver’s insurer before consulting an attorney. No-fault covers medical bills and a portion of lost wages for anyone injured; a separate bodily injury claim against the at-fault driver’s liability policy is available for pain, suffering, and full economic losses.
- Know who may be liable. The driver traveling against traffic bears primary responsibility for placing the other vehicles in an unavoidable collision path. The family of the 66-year-old woman who died may file a wrongful death and survival claim. The Jeep’s driver and both passengers may have personal injury claims. Under New York’s 2026 motor vehicle comparative fault reform (CPLR § 1411(b)), recovery is barred only when the claimant’s own fault equals or exceeds the combined fault of the defendants – a bar that does not apply here for victims traveling in the correct direction.
- File before the deadline. New York sets a three-year limit for personal injury claims from the crash date (CPLR § 214): that deadline is October 10, 2029. The wrongful death deadline is two years from the date of death (EPTL § 5-4.1), placing it at October 10, 2028. These deadlines run from day one, not from when an investigation concludes or charges are filed.
Why Staten Island Families Call Frekhtman & Associates After a Car Accident
A civil personal injury or wrongful death claim moves on its own timeline and does not require an arrest or criminal charge to proceed. Frekhtman & Associates Injury and Accident Attorneys has recovered over $900 million for New York families across more than 25 years, handling everything from the first insurance call to the courtroom. Our Staten Island car accident lawyers build the case while the crash scene is still fresh.
We handle the investigation, manage the insurer contacts, and advance the claim so families can focus on recovery and on each other.
What Staten Island families get from Frekhtman & Associates after a wrong-way crash:
- $900M+ recovered for injured New York clients across more than 25 years of practice
- $69,225,000 auto accident jury verdict, one of the largest in New York State history
- Free 24/7 consultations, including home and hospital visits for clients unable to travel
- Personal callbacks from founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman
- Russian-language services available
- Zero fees unless we win your case
- Brooklyn office at 60 Bay 26th St, serving families across the borough
- $2,000,000 wrongful death result
Reach us at our Brooklyn office, 60 Bay 26th St. Call 866-821-0718, stop by, or start a free consultation through our contact form.
