A 67-year-old driver struck a large boulder and rocks in the road from a rockslide on the Taconic State Parkway Wednesday and lost control of his SUV, which flipped on its side on the highway.
It wasn't clear if the driver was hurt in the accident several miles north of Pudding Street in Putnam Valley around 8:30 a.m. Witnesses said smoke was fuming from the engine and bystanders were trying to help the driver, who they said was trapped inside for a brief period of time.
Photos from the scene show a gray SUV flipped on the passenger side, its rear backed up against the narrow shoulder and the front of the vehicle crossing over a quarter of the two-lane road. A pile of black rocks, large slabs and smaller pieces, is seen on the side of the roadway.
Witnesses Lee Casseday and Jacqueline Sisco, who were in a vehicle together and passed the accident, said the Taconic is a dangerous road, in part because its shoulder is so narrow. They questioned why there was no netting on the rocks alongside the Taconic in that area.
The Department of Transportation said it routinely inspects conditions along its transportation network to ensure safety. The agency said the slope near the accident site is secure, but crews are giving it a thorough inspection.
