Town of Alabama, NY (Oct. 15, 2026) – A 64-year-old Batavia woman, Victoria Klimczak, died after her Chevy Trax crashed into a disabled farm tractor on Lewiston Road, according to investigators.
On the evening of October 15, Klimczak was driving east on Lewiston Road in the Town of Alabama, investigators said. A tractor with a dump trailer attached was on the shoulder of the road. The tractor was disabled and had its hazards on.
Police said Klimczak did not see the hazards and rear-ended the trailer. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
She was removed from the scene and taken to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
What Families Can Do and What to Know About Liability After a Fatal Car Crash in New York
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee reported 681 crash deaths in New York in the first 10 months of 2025, down from 766 a year earlier. In upstate New York, deaths fell from 490 to 420 over the same period.
- Ask the investigating agency for the crash report number and the name of the officer or unit handling the case.
- Ask that the Chevy Trax be held at the tow yard and not released for salvage, since the vehicle is part of the evidence.
- Request several certified copies of the death certificate. Banks, insurers, and employers each ask for their own.
- Send insurance company calls to one family member, and do not give a recorded statement or sign a release without advice.
- Keep a record of funeral, medical, and household expenses.
Police said the tractor was disabled with its hazards on and that the driver did not see them. Those are early findings, and they do not settle who was at fault. New York courts often start from a presumption that a rear driver was negligent, but evidence can answer that presumption.
A review looks at how long the tractor had been stopped, whether its lights and reflectors worked, what a driver could see from the road, and why it broke down. The tractor’s owner or operator, the trailer’s owner, or a repair provider could be responsible, depending on what the investigation shows.
A wrongful death claim is brought by the estate’s personal representative for surviving family members. It can cover funeral costs, lost income and support, and the loss of care and guidance. The crash happened on October 15, 2026, and New York allows two years from the date of death to file (EPTL § 5-4.1), which puts that deadline at October 15, 2028.
How Stanley Law Helps After a Fatal Car Accident in Upstate New York
When a family loses someone in a car crash, the phone calls and paperwork start before there is time to grieve. Stanley Law Offices takes the adjusters, records requests, and deadlines off the family’s plate so they can be together.
Our Upstate NY car accident attorneys investigate the crash, identify every insurance policy and responsible party, and value the full wrongful death and survival claims. We deal with the insurers directly and are ready to take a case to a jury if an offer falls short.
Joe Stanley founded the firm in 1982 and is Board Certified in Civil Trial Practice by the American Board of Trial Advocacy. The firm has recovered a $3.7M wrongful death settlement for a family.
Families in Genesee County and across Upstate New York comparing firms after a fatal car crash often start with the same questions. Here is how Stanley Law Offices answers them:
- Serving Upstate New York families for 45+ years
- Joe Stanley, Board Certified in Civil Trial Practice by the American Board of Trial Advocacy
- Super Lawyers recognition for 18+ consecutive years
- 4.7-star rating across 900+ verified reviews
- Offices in Syracuse, Binghamton, Rochester, Watertown, Oneonta, and Montrose, PA
- Available 24/7
- No recovery, no fee
Our Rochester office at 510 Clinton Square, Rochester, NY 14604 is the closest to the Town of Alabama. Call 888-997-3889, stop by the office, or send us the details through our contact form, and we will call you back.
