Stony Creek, NY (November 10, 2026) – A Hadley Road head-on crash killed a woman and injured two others, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies responded to the two-vehicle crash on November 10 around 10:53 a.m.
Gina Russell, 51, of Hadley, was traveling northbound in a car, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Another car, driven by Joyce Demarzio, 41, of Stony Creek, did not keep right, the Sheriff’s Office said. It crossed from the southbound lane into the northbound lane and hit Russell’s car.
Russell was pronounced dead at the scene. Demarzio and a passenger in her vehicle were transported to Glens Falls Hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Safety Unit and Criminal Investigations Unit. Stony Creek Fire, Stony Creek EMS and Warrensburg EMS also responded to the scene.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
How a Fatal Head-On Crash Claim Moves Forward in New York
New York generally requires vehicles to stay on the right half of a roadway of sufficient width (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1120(a)). The Department of Financial Services says the minimum liability coverage for one death is $50,000, so every available policy matters. The Sheriff’s Office criminal investigation is separate from any civil claim.
For the family of the woman who died and anyone hurt on Hadley Road, these steps follow a practical order:
- Hold the evidence. Ask that both vehicles be preserved, since their data recorders can show speed and braking, and obtain the Sheriff’s Office report on the crash.
- Gather the records. Order several certified copies of the death certificate, and keep every medical, funeral, and billing record.
- Handle insurers carefully. Send every adjuster’s call to one person, decline recorded statements, and check the decedent’s own policy for added uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Anyone injured has 30 days from the crash to notify a no-fault insurer in writing, until December 10, 2026.
- Open the estate. Only a court-appointed personal representative can sue for wrongful death (EPTL § 5-4.1). That person can also pursue a survival claim for any suffering before death, so ask Surrogate’s Court for the appointment early.
- Mark the deadlines. Wrongful death suits must be started by November 10, 2028, two years after the death (EPTL § 5-4.1). CPLR § 214 gives injured people three years, through November 10, 2029.
Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys Serving Upstate NY
When a crash takes a loved one, the legal questions arrive before the family is ready for them. Our car accident attorneys in Upstate NY have tried cases in courtrooms across the region, and that experience shapes how we prepare each claim.
Families set the pace, and we answer questions as they come, whether they are about the estate, the insurance policies, or the investigation. The first consultation is free.
Why Warren County families facing a fatal head-on crash can rely on Stanley Law Offices:
- 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
Warren County is closest to our Oneonta office, at 166 N Main St, Oneonta, NY 13820. Schedule a free consultation with us.
