The minivan that crashed Monday, Aug. 3, on the southbound Palisades Interstate Parkway with seven children on board was traveling from a therapeutic center for children with special needs, according to New York State Police.
The van, while carrying two adults and seven children between the ages of 5 and 10, swerved off the major roadway near Exit 11 before striking a tree head-on.
The incident was reported to state police around 1:10 p.m. Monday. All lanes have since opened to traffic.
One child in critical condition
All nine victims were hospitalized, and one child remains in critical but stable condition, according to state police. The remaining victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The
group was traveling from Legadel School in Chestnut Ridge, a facility for children with special needs.
The van, a 2022 Toyota Sienna, was being driven by Aryeh Spitzer, a 26-year-old Monsey resident. The car was built to comfortably fit seven to eight people, according to Toyota's website.
The reason the vehicle left the roadway is still under investigation.
State police are urging anyone who witnessed the collision to contact the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation at Haverstraw at 845-344-5300.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Van in Palisades Parkway crash was traveling from special needs school
