Fatal Crash In Carmel Friday: Police

CARMEL, NY — A New Jersey man died when a motorcycle struck a small bus Friday on Route 301, police said.

Putnam County 911 received calls at 2:10 p.m. for an accident on Route 301 west of Gypsy Trail Road.

Among the agencies responding were the Carmel Police Department, Kent Police, Putnam County Sheriff's Office, Carmel Fire Department, Carmel Volunteer Ambulance Corp., New York State Police and Empress Medics.

Preliminary investigation found that a motorcycle operated by 62-year-old Peter Leist of Denville, NJ, was traveling westbound on Route 301 — and had passed several vehicles by crossing over the double yellow lines — when it ran head-on into the bus, which was traveling in the opposite direction, Sheriff Kevin J. McConville said.

Lauren Hoffman of Carmel was driving the bus.

Leist was pronounced deceased at the scene, McConville said.

Route 301 was closed for three hours between Gipsy Trail Road and Dixon Road while an investigation was conducted with Sheriff's personnel and members of the New York State Police Troop K Collision Reconstruction Unit and and clean-up was completed.