Cayuta, NY (July 5, 2026) – Prasanna Atlur, 31, of New Jersey, was pronounced dead at Robert Packer Hospital after a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of State Routes 224 and 13 in the town of Cayuta, Schuyler County, according to the New York State Police.
The crash occurred at approximately 4:58 a.m. on July 5, 2026. Troopers from State Police stations in Dundee and Montour Falls responded to the intersection after a report of a serious personal injury crash.
According to State Police, the preliminary investigation found that a 2023 Tesla, operated by Madhu Mala, 25, of New Jersey, was traveling north on State Route 224 when it failed to stop for a red signal and entered the intersection. A 2023 Dodge Charger, driven by Bryan J. Woodworth, 52, of Elmira, was traveling east on State Route 13 with a green signal when it struck the Tesla.
Atlur was a rear-seat passenger in the Tesla. She sustained fatal injuries and was later pronounced deceased at Robert Packer Hospital. The Tesla’s driver, Mala, suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and was transferred to Robert Packer for further care. A second Tesla passenger sustained life-threatening injuries. A third showed no apparent injuries at the scene. Woodworth was transported to Arnot Ogden Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries, according to State Police.
Woodworth is a New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision officer who was commuting to work at the time of the crash. The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation has since opened a review, as required by state law when a peace officer is involved in a death.
State Police describe the investigation as active. No charges have been announced.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
A crash that takes a passenger’s life and leaves others with critical injuries raises serious questions for every family involved. The guidance below outlines the legal options New York law makes available.
What to Do After a Fatal Multi-Vehicle Accident in New York
Can Prasanna’s family pursue a claim?
Yes. Under New York’s Estates, Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL § 5-4.1), certain family members may file a wrongful death attorney in Upstate New York when someone is killed by another party’s negligence. As a rear-seat passenger, Atlur had no role in operating either vehicle. Her family may file regardless of which driver caused the collision.
Who may be held responsible?
The New York State Police preliminary investigation found that the Tesla driver failed to stop for the red signal. New York follows a pure comparative fault standard, which means the at-fault driver can be held liable even when the victim was a passenger in that vehicle. The Attorney General’s review may produce independent findings regarding Woodworth’s conduct as well. Families in this situation benefit from having an attorney monitor both investigations simultaneously.
What can a wrongful death claim recover?
A wrongful death action in New York can address the economic losses the family sustained because of the death, including income the deceased would have contributed, and reasonable funeral and burial expenses. The estate may also bring a survival claim for conscious pain and suffering the deceased experienced from the impact to the time of death.
What else should the family do right now?
- Do not speak to any insurance company, including the Tesla driver’s insurer, without consulting an attorney first
- Preserve any communications, documents, or records related to the crash and to Prasanna’s life in the United States
- Monitor updates from both the New York State Police and the Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation
- Request a copy of the final police report through NYSP once it is available
What is the filing deadline?
New York’s wrongful death statute (EPTL § 5-4.1) sets a two-year deadline from the date of death. Based on July 5, 2026, as the confirmed date of death, the family has until July 5, 2028, to file. Consulting an attorney well before that date matters: traffic signal data, vehicle event recorder data, and intersection footage are preserved for a limited time, and that window can close before families realize it.
Contact Our Upstate New York Wrongful Death Attorneys
Losing a family member in a crash far from home, with two separate government investigations still open, is a situation that deserves careful legal attention, not a rushed decision. Prasanna’s family is grieving across continents. That weight is real, and there is no pressure to act before you are ready.
Our Upstate New York car accident lawyers have worked across Schuyler County and the surrounding region, representing families in crashes involving disputed fault, multiple injured occupants, and active law enforcement investigations. We know how to preserve claims while the investigation unfolds, and how to track developments in both a State Police and an Attorney General review. Our team also handles wrongful death attorneys serving Upstate New York for families who cannot be physically present during the legal process.
Traffic signal logs, vehicle black box data, and security footage from the intersection are not stored indefinitely. Taking steps now, while those records are still available, protects the family’s options.
There are no upfront costs. We collect a fee only if we recover compensation for you.
Why families across Upstate New York trust Stanley Law Offices:
- 90+ years of combined legal experience
- Joe Stanley is Board Certified in Civil Trial Practice by the American Board of Trial Advocacy (ABOTA)
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- No fees unless we win your case
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