Town of Le Ray (Sept. 27, 2026) – A Theresa man was seriously injured in a head-on crash on County Route 46 in the town of Le Ray, in a crash that also claimed the life of a Deferiet woman.
According to New York State Police, the crash happened around 3:57 p.m. on September 27. Troopers say a 32-year-old man from Gouverneur, driving a 2002 Honda CR-V south on County Route 46, attempted to pass another vehicle and collided head-on with a 2023 Buick Encore traveling north, driven by a 65-year-old man from Theresa.
All three people involved were taken to Samaritan Medical Center. The Honda’s passenger, a 31-year-old woman from Deferiet, died at the hospital. Both drivers have serious, non-life-threatening injuries.
The State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is assisting with the investigation, which remains ongoing.
Passing another vehicle on a two-lane road requires a clear view of oncoming traffic and enough distance to complete the maneuver safely. When either of those is misjudged, the passing vehicle ends up exactly where the Honda did: directly in the path of a car that had every right to be there.
What a Collision Reconstruction Investigation Means for Your Claim
When a case involves the State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit, as this one does, it typically means investigators are documenting skid marks, vehicle positions, and impact angles in detail, the kind of physical evidence that can make a passing-related crash like this one difficult for an insurance company to dispute later.
If you were the driver of the Buick, New York law allows you to pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering from the driver who attempted the pass. Serious injuries described as non-life-threatening can still mean a lengthy hospital stay, ongoing treatment, and time away from work, all of which factor into what a fair recovery looks like.
An attorney can obtain the reconstruction unit’s findings once complete, request your full medical records, and handle communications with the insurance company so you are not pressured into settling before your recovery is finished.
Contact Our Watertown Car Accident Lawyer
Stanley Law Offices’ Watertown office serves Jefferson County, including Le Ray, Gouverneur, and Theresa, and our Watertown car accident lawyer team regularly handles cases involving unsafe passing and head-on collisions on rural roads like County Route 46.
If you were hurt in this crash, or a similar one anywhere in Jefferson County, call 888-997-3889 for a free consultation. Payment comes only from what we recover for you.
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