ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — According to New York State Police, a driver is dead after a fatal crash in Albany on Thursday, October 21. The crash occurred on I-90, near mile marker 149.8 and shut down the area of the Thruway for around 5 hours.
State Police said a 2021 Freightliner Tractor Trailer (Werner Enterprises) was driving eastbound on I-90 when the driver, Jesula Estivente, 28, of Uniondale, attempted to change lanes. When the truck moved from the center lane to the left lane, it allegedly crossed the rumble strips and Estivente overcorrected, causing the vehicle to lose control.
The tractor-trailer drove through the median and center guiderail, entered the westbound lanes, and struck a 2019 Toyota Rav4 head-on. The tractor-trailer stopped after it jackknifed and struck an embankment on the north shoulder.
The driver and sole occupant of the Toyota, Bernice A. Rostocki, 58, of Latham, suffered fatal injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene by the Albany County Coroner and removed to Ellis hospital pending an autopsy.
Estivente was transported to Albany Medical Center where she was evaluated by a DRE (Drug Recognition Expert) and later released. The passenger of the tractor-trailer, Albert P. Kastner, 50, of Chatham, was also transported to Albany Med for non-life-threatening injuries.
State Police were assisted on scene by Troop G CRU (Collision Reconstruction Unit), Troop T BCI and CVEU (Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit), Troop G BCI and Victim Advocate, Albany Fire Department and Rescue, as well as Thruway Traffic Safety and Maintenance.
Go to NEWS10’s “I-90 reopened following fatal crash in Albany” for photos of the accident and details of the traffic during the Thruway closure.
The accident investigation is still pending at this time.