Charged: Hudson Valley Woman Crashed With 3 Drugs in System, PD

Police allege drugs are the reason a Hudson Valley woman crashed her car head-on into a public works dump truck.

On Dec. 17, 2021, at 2:48 p.m., Saugerties police responded to the area of 503 Kings Highway for a reported motor vehicle crash, car versus DPW truck, with entrapment.

The crash involved a 2006 Volkswagen Passat that was traveling north on Kings Highway, when the operator failed to navigate a curve in the roadway, crossing the double yellow line, crashing head-on into a southbound 2015 Chevrolet 3500 dump truck belonging to the Ulster County Department of Public Works, police say.

The driver of the Passat, a 56-year-old female from Saugerties, was trapped in the vehicle upon the arrival of officers and had to be extricated out of her vehicle by fire personnel from the Mount Marion Fire Department.

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The woman was treated at the scene by paramedics from DIAZ Ambulance and then transported to the Albany Medical Center via helicopter.

The county DPW truck was occupied by two county employees at the time of the crash. Both employees were treated at the scene and then transported by DIAZ Ambulance to the WCMC Broadway Campus in Kingston, for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, police say.

Back in December, police confirmed charges were pending against the operator of the Passat as they continued to investigate. On Thursday, police announced the woman was charged.

Saugerties Woman Charged After Head-On Crash With New York Public Works Truck in Ulster County

Saugerties police allege 56-year-old Lori Valdes was driving while impaired by drugs at the time of the crash.

"Toxicology results have verified that Valdes, who was the operator of the 2006 Volkswagen Passat at the time of the crash, was operating her vehicle at a time when she was under the influence of three different types of narcotic drugs," the Saugerties Police Department stated in a press release.

Valdes was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, speed not reasonable or prudent, and failure to stay in the designated lane. Valdes was processed and released to appear in the Town of Saugerties Justice Court at a later date to answer her charges.