Town of Seneca, NY (Oct. 20, 2026) – William Folts, 67, of Shortsville, was killed in a two-vehicle crash, according to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office. A 60-year-old man from Stanley, the driver of the other vehicle, was critically injured.
Emergency crews responded to the intersection of State Route 245 and Number Nine Road at around 1 p.m. on October 20. Deputies said Folts was driving a Mazda CX-5 southbound on Number Nine Road when he failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign. His vehicle collided with a Ram pickup truck traveling westbound on Route 245.
Both drivers were found unconscious and had to be extricated from their vehicles. Folts was pronounced dead at the scene.
The pickup driver was airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight and was listed in critical condition. The intersection was closed for approximately 3 1/2 hours while investigators processed the scene.
The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team and Criminal Investigation Division responded to investigate. The crash remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
What Families Can Do After a Fatal Car Crash in New York
New York’s no-fault system generally requires written notice to the no-fault insurer within 30 days of a crash. That clock on first-party benefits starts almost immediately, and the first weeks also decide how much evidence survives.
- Ask the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office for the crash report number and the name of the unit handling the investigation, so you know who to call for updates.
- Ask that both vehicles be held and not released for salvage until their onboard data can be downloaded and preserved.
- Order several certified copies of the death certificate. Banks, insurers, and employers each tend to ask for one.
- Send insurer calls to one family member or to an attorney, and do not give a recorded statement or sign a release.
- Keep every hospital, medical, funeral, and missed-work record in a single folder.
- Hold off on social media posts about the crash, since insurers and investigators can read them.
Why Upstate New York Families Call Stanley Law Offices After a Car Crash
After a serious car crash, many families ask the same thing first. Who pays the hospital bills, funeral costs, and lost income while a claim is pending? And can they afford a lawyer at all?
Stanley Law Offices answers that on the first call. We handle car accident and wrongful death claims on contingency, so there is no fee unless we recover for you. Our Upstate New York car accident attorneys have represented families across the region since 1982.
Founded by Joe Stanley, the firm secured a $3.7M wrongful death settlement in the Eleanor Brooks matter. From the first call, we preserve evidence, request the crash report and reconstruction findings, and take insurer calls off your plate. Virtual consultations are available if travel is hard right now.
Families and injured drivers across Upstate New York weighing who should handle a serious car crash claim deserve to know what Stanley Law Offices brings to the table:
- 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 Seneca. Call 888-997-3889, stop by, or send us the details through our contact form, and we will call you back.
