Columbia County man was killed in a two-car crash in Poughkeepsie

A Columbia County man was killed in a two-car crash on Monday morning — the second tragedy to occur in the small village during the past couple of months.

Brandon O’Connell, 21, of Hudson was pronounced dead at Northern Dutchess Hospital, said Capt. John Watterson of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation is ongoing, but it appears that O’Connell’s failure to yield the right of way as he made a left-hand turn onto Route 9G from West Kerley Corners Road is the primary cause of the accident, Watterson said.

About 10 a.m., O’Connell’s car was struck on the driver’s side door by a northbound box truck driven by James Frizzell, 38, of Franklin, N.J. Frizzell was treated and released from Northern Dutchess Hospital.

O’Connell’s front seat passenger, Eric Hill, 25 of Germantown, was flown to Albany Medical Center, where he was in stable condition on Monday.

No charges had been filed at press time. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by multiple local agencies.

Tivoli Mayor Bryan Cranna said in a statement that he’s saddened by another local fatality and called on the state Department of Transportation and all responsible parties to continue a review of the intersection and make any necessary changes.

“As it stands right now ... we haven’t found anything ... that indicates that the roadway or the intersection were factors (in O’Connell’s accident),” Watterson said. “We are continuing to investigate both (fatalities).”

On Jan. 31, Bard College students Sarah McCausland and Evelina Brown were killed when a woman suspected of drunken driving hit them with her car and fled, a short distance north of Broadway on Route 9G.

Carol Boeck, 63, of Red Hook was charged with first-degree vehicular manslaughter and felony driving while intoxicated, due to a prior conviction for driving while impaired, in connection with that crash.