Lockport, NY (October 30, 2026) – A 27-year-old woman died after a two-vehicle crash at Rapids Road and Bartz Road in the Town of Lockport on the afternoon of October 30, according to the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded just after 3 p.m.
A preliminary investigation found that a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling westbound on Bartz Road failed to yield the right of way at Rapids Road, the sheriff’s office said. The Jeep was struck by a 2015 Ford Fiesta traveling southeast on Rapids Road.
The Fiesta driver suffered life-threatening injuries, was taken to ECMC, and was later pronounced dead. The Jeep driver had minor injuries, was treated at the scene, and is cooperating with law enforcement. The Fiesta driver’s boyfriend said she leaves behind two children, ages six and three.
Eleven days earlier, on October 19, a 58-year-old man from Haines City, Florida, died after a crash at the same intersection, according to New York State Police. Police said a Jeep stopped on Bartz Road and then entered the intersection at Rapids Road, into the path of a concrete truck.
The Jeep driver was taken to ECMC and later died. A 50-year-old passenger in the Jeep was taken to ECMC with non-life-threatening injuries. The 35-year-old driver of the concrete truck was not injured.
Both crashes remain under investigation. This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
What Families Can Do After a Fatal Intersection Crash in New York
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee reported that crash fatalities in upstate New York fell from 490 to 420 between January and October 2025 compared with the same months of 2024, based on preliminary data. That still means 420 people died on upstate roads in ten months. New York’s no-fault law also requires written notice to the no-fault insurer within 30 days of the accident.
- Ask the investigating agency for the crash report number and the name of the officer handling the case.
- Ask that the vehicles not be released, repaired, or salvaged yet, since they can hold evidence.
- Send insurance company calls to one trusted person, and do not give a recorded statement or sign a release.
- Order several certified copies of the death certificate, because insurers and banks ask for them.
- Keep every medical bill, funeral bill, and record of lost income in one folder.
- Anyone else hurt in the crash should see a doctor and keep all treatment records, even if injuries seem minor.
Call Stanley Law After a Fatal Car Crash in Rochester, NY
After a death, one worry comes first for many families: who deals with the insurance adjusters while everyone is grieving. Stanley Law Offices takes those calls off your plate, and our Rochester car accident lawyers work on contingency, so there is no fee unless we recover for you.
Joe Stanley founded the firm in 1982 and is Board Certified in Civil Trial Practice by the American Board of Trial Advocacy. We secured a $3.7M wrongful death settlement for the Eleanor Brooks family. From the first call, we gather the crash report, preserve the vehicles, and handle every insurer contact.
Families in Western New York weighing who should handle a fatal crash claim deserve to know what Stanley Law Offices brings to a case like this:
- 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 Lockport. Call us, stop by, or send us the details through our contact form, and we will call you back.
