A driver hitting a deer on the Taconic State Parkway led to rush-hour traffic and then a fatal accident.

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On Tuesday, New York State Police investigated a fatal motor vehicle crash on the Taconic State Parkway in the town of East Fishkill.

Around 5:45 a.m., troopers were assisting a motorist who had just struck a deer in the right lane of the Taconic State Parkway at mile marker 39 southbound.

While the troopers were placing road flares behind the patrol vehicles with emergency lighting activated, a southbound 2019 GMC Sierra, driven by Joaquin Rodriguez, 51, of LaGrange merged into the left lane from the closed right lane. A southbound 2003 Subaru Forester operated by 50-year-old Daniel P. O'Brien of LaGrange, also in the left lane then rear-ended the GMC Sierra, police say.

O’Brien was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered severe trauma from the crash, according to New York State Police.

Troopers extricated him from the vehicle and began performing life-saving techniques until EMStar Ambulance, and East Fishkill Fire/Rescue arrived to take over life-saving efforts.

O’Brien succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on the scene, police say.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing. East Fishkill Police Department and the Dutchess County Medical Examiner’s Office were also on scene.

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