At approximately 9:51pm on Saturday, February 5, 2022, two cars collided on Fishkill Avenue (aka Rte. 52) near Industrial Arts and the John Deere tractor lot. One driver was killed almost instantly, and the other driver suffered body pain and was transported to a hospital. After the accident, police closed the road and remained there to reconstruct the scene.

Fishkill Avenue moments after the car accident when emergency responders had arrived.

Hours later, a Beacon Police Officer was assigned to the road closure detail and was sitting in his car with his emergency lights activated when a third car driving from Beacon to Fishkill rear-ended him, kept on driving, and then collided into an unoccupied tow truck, upon which it came to a stop. That driver was arrested for DWI, resisting a breath test, and issued various other traffic violations, according to the press release issued by Beacon’s Police Department the day after. The Police Officer was taken to the hospital where he was evaluated and released.

Said one Beaconite who lives near the scene of the accident:I had just been driving past there 10 minutes before. We had space heaters on in the house that muffles the street noise, so we didn’t hear it. I went outside to grab something from my car and saw all the lights. This stretch of Fishkill Avenue is terrifying. So many near accidents happen outside of our house. I’ve written the Fishkill Town Board about it multiple times. I love my house and neighbors, but living here comes at a price!”

This story was reported earlier by the Highlands Current and MidHudson News. The press release is below in full:

### Press Release From The City Of Beacon Police Department ###

On 2/5/22 at approximately 2151hrs (9:51pm), the City of Beacon Police responded to the area of 511 Fishkill Avenue for a two car head on motor vehicle accident involving a Subaru Outback and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The male driver, and sole occupant of the red Subaru, was later identified as Derron E. Holmes, a 49-year-old Beacon resident. Holmes was not breathing and did not have a pulse; therefore, he was removed from the vehicle and resuscitation efforts were administered. Holmes was transported to St. Luke's Hospital via Ambulanz where he was later pronounced deceased.

The second operator, and single male occupant of the Jeep, suffered from pain in multiple areas of his body. He was transported to Vassar Brothers Medical Center by Beacon Volunteer Ambulance and later released. The roadway was closed for traffic in order to reconstruct the accident which was being completed by the New York State Police Accident Reconstruction Team.

At approximately 0113hrs (1:13am) on 2/6/2022, a City of Beacon Police Officer assigned to the road closure was seated in the driver seat of his marked patrol vehicle with the emergency lights activated when he was rear ended by a Ford Bronco. The Bronco continued traveling North on Fishkill Avenue and struck the rear of an unoccupied tow truck where it finally came to rest. The lone occupant of the Bronco was identified as 49-year-old Joseph M. Jarossy of Glenham. Jarossy declined medical attention and was arrested by the New York State Police where he was charged with Driving While Intoxicated, refusal to submit to a breath test, as well as miscellaneous vehicle and traffic citations related to the accident. He is scheduled to appear in the City of Beacon Court at a future date.

The Beacon Police Officer was transported to St. Luke's Hospital by Ambulanz where he was evaluated and released. The fatal accident is still under investigation and no further details are available at this time.

- Detective Sergeant Jason Johnson #315

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