Saugerties pedestrian struck by bicyclist, ticketed for walking on wrong side of road

On Saturday, April 17 at 9:15 p.m., Saugerties Police received a 911 call for a bicycle versus pedestrian accident at 355 Washington Ave Ext in the Town of Saugerties. The bicyclist reportedly had struck their head and was unconscious. 

An investigation by police established that 36-year-old Caleb Warwick of Saugerties was walking on Washington Ave. Ext., when he was struck from behind by a bicyclist, 62-year-old Star Berzal of Malden, town of Saugerties. Berzal was thrown from the bicycle, striking her head on the pavement, knocking her unconscious. 

At the time of the crash, police say Warwick was wearing dark clothing and was walking on the wrong side of the road, walking with traffic and not against traffic as the NY vehicle and traffic law requires. Berzal and her bicycle were in compliance with NYS law for nighttime operation of a bicycle. Berzal sustained a head injury and was treated at the scene by paramedics from DIAZ Ambulance and then transported to Health Alliance Hospital, Broadway Campus in Kingston, where she was stabilized and then transported to the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. Warwick reported to officers that he was not injured in the incident.  

Warwick was issued a summons by police for failing to comply with the NYS Pedestrian Law when walking on a public roadway. Saugerties Police were assisted by Diaz ambulance and the Malden West Camp Fire Department. As of Sunday, April 18, Berzal was at the Westchester Medical Center in “serious but stable condition.”