Hudson Valley residents are passionate about their shortcuts, but sometimes things go too far.
On Thursday, Nov. 28 at around 2:28am, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office says their deputies arrived on scene in the Town of Marbletown (Fording Place Rd.) to see a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee “overtaken by the flow” of the Esopus Creek.
The driver was located safe on the shore, and police ascertained no one else had been in the vehicle.
The investigation revealed that the vehicle’s occupant was traveling down Route 209 when they apparently misjudged the depth and strength of the Esopus Creek’s post-precipitation flow. Attempting to take a shortcut to Hurley Mountain Road through a typically shallower section of the waterway on Fording Place Road, they ended up unceremoniously parked hood-deep.
On Friday, Nov. 29, a vehicle recovery operation was launched by the Ulster County Sheriff’s In-Water Rescue Team, who attached a cable and tow straps to the Cherokee. Perry’s Towing from Kingston yanked it out.
Police said the driver may face charges, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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