A semi truck driver was killed in a two-vehicle crash in New York early Friday morning.
According to a release from the New York State Police (NYSP), on March 6, 2026, at approximately 1:53 a.m., NYSP at Owego were dispatched to State Route 17/Interstate 86 between exits 63 and 62 in Nichols for a report of a crash involving a tractor trailer and an SUV.
Police say the preliminary investigation at the scene determined that a 2020 Mitsubishi SUV was traveling west on State Route 17 when the vehicle went off the roadway and struck a guard rail. At that point, the vehicle became inoperable due to airbag deployment and was stopped partially in the right lane.
The driver of the Mitsubishi, Kaden T. Watson, 21 of Warren Center, Pennsylvania exited the vehicle just as a tractor trailer that was also traveling west struck the Mitsubishi. The tractor trailer continued west, off the roadway down an embankment and into a tree.
The operator of the tractor trailer was located inside the cab deceased. He was identified as a 70-year-old male from Ontario.
Police say Watson did not report any injuries, and did not show any signs of impairment.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
