Ulster collision kills Slingerlands woman

A Slingerlands woman was killed while walking along a Hudson Valley road early Sunday, police said.

Police said Jaime Mengel, 36, of Slingerlands and Alexander Terwilligar, 26, of Connelly, Ulster County, were walking in the northbound lane of Ulster Avenue, in the town of Ulster, when they were hit. Mengel was taken to a hospital, where she died.

Charles Stracuzzi, 38, of Saugerties was driving north when his car struck the pair at about 12:40 a.m. Stracuzzi was on his way home from his job as a guard at the county’s jail, Ulster Police Chief Kyle Berardi said Friday.

No charges have been filed, given “there is no indication of criminality at this point,” the chief said.

Stracuzzi showed no signs of intoxication and voluntarily gave police a blood sample, which hasbeensenttoalab for testing, Berardi said. Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa could not be reached for comment.

Ulster Avenue is a four-lane divided highway without sidewalks or streetlights. Witnesses told police they had seen the pair walking in the road before the crash, the chief said.

“During the day, it’s a very high traveled roadway. At night, it’s kind of a quiet roadway and dark,” Berardi said. Witnesses reported fog in the area at the time, he said.

Terwillegar was taken a hospital with serious injuries and is expected to survive. He does not remember the crash, Berardi said. 10 years in prison Friday, District Attorney David Soares said.

Shayquan Deans, 24, was arrested in April after shooting the person in the leg on First Street, Soares said. Two officers heard the shot and saw Deans flee with a gun in his hand before dropping it. Police chased and arrested him.

In November, Deans plead guilty to assault and criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies.