Five injured - charges filed

SCHODACK — An 18-year-old Nassau woman who was behind the wheel when her car slid off Route 9J Tuesday night, injuring herself and all four of her passengers, now faces criminal charges.
Taylor Woodcock was charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, both misdemeanors, and was ticketed for speeding, failing to keep right and making an unsafe lane change.

The accident occurred at 11:27 p.m. when Woodcock's vehicle crossed over from the southbound lane, veered through the northbound lane, skid off the road and rolled over several times before coming to a stop in a grassy embankment, Chief Bernhard Peter said.

Neither Woodcock, of Nassau, or any of the passengers were wearing seat belts, Peter said. All four passengers, who were between 18 and 23, were ejected from the car. Some were tossed more than 50 feet from the vehicle. Two of the passengers were found pinned between trees, Peter said. No one, including Woodcock, suffered serious injuries, the chief said. All are being treated at Albany Medical Center and are in stable condition.

Peter said weather and slick roads played a factor in the accident, but that Woodcock was speeding and driving unsafely.
"You don't wind up with what occurred by obeying the speed limit," Peter said.
Peter said there have been numerous accidents on Route 9J lately, including one just six hours before Woodcock crashed.
In late April, 47-year-old Darlene Walter was killed when a car she was riding in went off the road and slammed into a tree. That accident occurred less than a mile from the scene of Tuesday's crash.

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