At approximately 9:30 a.m. on September 17, 2026, members of State Police Troop T, SP Syracuse responded to a jackknifed tractor trailer on the New York State Thruway (I-90) in the town of Van Buren, Onondaga County.
Investigation revealed that Steven Garpue Nauhn, 38, of Rochester, was traveling through an active work zone in the westbound left lane in a 2020 Freightliner when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a concrete barrier. The impact pushed the barrier into the eastbound side of the highway. As a result, three vehicles traveling eastbound became involved in a chain-reaction crash in an attempt to avoid the cement barrier.
Nauhn and the driver of one of the other vehicles were transported to Onondaga State University Hospital-Upstate Medical Center with minor injuries.
Speed appeared to be a contributing factor in the crash.
Nauhn was issued tickets for vehicle and traffic law violations and is due in Van Buren Town Court at a later date.
The New York State Police remind all motorists that work zones demand heightened attention. Drivers are required to slow down, remain alert, and comply with New York’s Move Over Law. Speeding and other dangerous behaviors in work zones significantly increase the likelihood of crashes, putting both workers and motorists in danger. In 2025 there were 228 crashes leading to 28 injuries in Thruway work zones.