ALBANY COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE

County Court House Albany, New York 12207 (518) 487-5400

WWW.ALBANYCOUNTYSHERIFF.COM

WILLIAM C. COX UNDERSHERIFF

CRAIG D. APPLE, SR. SHERIFF

PAUL M. COURCELLE CHIEF DEPUTY

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday, July 23, 2013 Pedestrian escapes injury during Drowsy Driving Crash in Albany
A drowsy taxi cab driver who fell asleep behind the wheel crashed head-on into the Albany County Judicial Center in downtown Albany this afternoon. The Crash occurred just after 2:00 oclock when Joseph Rogers (37) of Watervliet, who was travelling north on Chapel Street in the area of the intersection of Steuben Street, fell asleep and lost control of his vehicle. The vehicle left the road way and travelled along the sidewalk nearly striking a pedestrian in the area before crashing into the rear of the Albany County Judicial Center causing extensive damage to the county building as well as the taxi vehicle. The operator reports that he had little sleep the night before and was exhausted and was going to contact his employer, Black and White Taxi, to see if he could leave work early. He further reported that he had just dropped a passenger off. The Albany County Sheriffs Office investigated the crash and fortunately nobody was injured during the incident. The operator was ticketed for Failing to Keep Right and is scheduled to appear in Albany City Traffic Court to answer the charge. When you think of dangerous driving habits, you may think of distracted driving, such as texting and driving, which has received a lot of attention in the media lately. Driver fatigue is a danger that also exists and is often overlooked. When driving, you need to be alert to react so adequate rest is the key. Sheriff Apple said.

A video of the incident is available for viewing. Should you have any questions, please contact Sheriff Craig D. Apple Sr. at 518-487-5400