Deadly Glenmont crash leaves community mourning, raises traffic concerns

A 19 year old killed in a crash while riding a motorcycle in Glenmont.

GLENMONT, N.Y. (WNYT)- Flowers now line the intersection of Route 9W and Magee Drive, where a day earlier a deadly crash claimed the life of a 19-year-old motorcyclist and left a community grappling with grief and renewed safety concerns.

According to Bethlehem Police, the crash happened around 7:45 p.m. on April 27 and involved an SUV and a motorcycle. The motorcyclist, identified as 19-year-old Mason Ruggaber, a recent graduate of Bethlehem High School, died at the scene. The driver of the SUV was taken to Albany Medical Center with minor injuries.

Photos from the scene show extensive damage to both vehicles. As of Tuesday, debris from the crash remained scattered along Route 9W in front of several homes, where neighbors say multiple motorcyclists had been riding in the area at the time.

Lana Horb, who lives near the intersection, said the crash happened directly in front of her home. She returned just minutes after it occurred to find the aftermath stretching onto her property.

“He had blood on his face and my husband came out and boiled water for his face and gave napkins to wipe for himself and then I saw the body of the person who was on the bike,” Horb said.

Horb described the crash as appearing to be at high speed and said the force of the impact sent debris a significant distance.

“Our neighbor’s front door was pretty much laying there next to their front door — it was like 100 feet away. You have to hit it pretty far and at pretty high speed,” she said.

The incident has heightened concerns for Horb and others who live along the busy corridor. She said traffic patterns and speeding have long posed dangers in the area.

“I never know at this point — especially when somebody is going to fly into my front yard and at what speed,” Horb said. “Here you have a turning light to Walmart and a turning light to our street. People switch to the middle lane like 150 feet away from the actual turn and fly down at 55 miles an hour.”

The crash is also resonating with first responders. Albany County Sheriff’s Office Senior Investigator Greg Stiglmeier said the tragedy hits close to home. He was involved in a serious motorcycle crash himself at age 19 that resulted in the loss of his leg.

“It touched home for me because I was that young man back then and I thought I was invincible and nothing could happen to me,” Stiglmeier said. “Unfortunately, I was in an accident and lost my leg.”

In the wake of the crash, Stiglmeier is urging riders to take extra precautions and be mindful of the risks that come with motorcycle travel.

“Very tragic that this young man lost his life, but riders — especially younger men and women — need to realize, ride safe, be cognizant of their surroundings and try to prevent tragedies,” he said.

NewsChannel 13 has reached out to Bethlehem Police for additional information but has not yet received a response. The Bethlehem Central School District has also been contacted for comment.

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