Thruway Soda Truck Crash Cleanup Bubbled Over Into Morning Rush Hour

CATSKILL, NY — A Thruway crash kept crews busy cleaning up after a cola spill brought a little fizz to the morning commute.

On Monday, around 4:45 a.m., state police responded to a crash between two tractor-trailers in the northbound lanes of the New York State Thruway, between Exit 20 and Exit 21, in Catskill.

State police say a 2024 Peterbilt tractor-trailer, driven by 28-year-old Andnet Yitna Kirubel, of Windsor, Ontario was traveling north in the left lane, when he attempted to move into the right lane and struck the rear of a 2018 Freightliner driven by 56-year-old Jorge Montes De Oca, of Miami.

The Peterbilt continued to sideswipe the other truck as they traveled north until it veered off onto the right shoulder and the cab overturned, while the trailer came to rest against the guardrail, police said.

Neither driver was seriously injured, and no tickets were issued, according to NYSP.

The resulting spill caused a fizzy mess during the morning commute on I-87, according to the New York Thruway Authority. But it was far from the last straw for Thruway maintenance staff, first responders and authorized tow garages who assisted in the cola crash cleanup.