Infant killed in Thruway crash

NEW BALTIMORE- A tractor-trailer crashed into a car that authorities say tried to make an illegal U-turn on the New York State Thruway, killing a six-month-old boy.

[Kim]

It's a shame that someone's unwillingness to go to the next exit and turn around has cost a 6 month old baby its life.

[Gamma ma]

Think about how the baby's mother felt we she realized what had happened? Was she even in the car/ This is a very tragic set of circumstances that will haunt this young man for the rest of his life,one very careless action cost those young parents their child.......Prayers to the families of this little angel.

[scott]

If that a u-turn is not leagal on the ny state thruway then way is the driver not arrested in fact he should face manslaughter charges or at least have his license suspended

[Deb W in Rural NY]

There is nothing I can say about this,this man will live with the pain of this for his horrible lack of judgement. This is so very ,very sad.I feel sad for all involved.
Deb

[Rich]

This is so damn sad no matter what time of year it is.

[CDNY]

Deb W in Rural NY wrote:

There is nothing I can say about this,this man will live with the pain of this for his horrible lack of judgement. This is so very ,very sad.I feel sad for all involved.
Deb

Yes, very sad indeed. Was the driver of the car the father of the baby?

My heart goes out to the driver of that truck, though it was not his fault this accident will haunt him for a very long time.

[Step12]

From the Times Union web site:

The weather may have been a factor in a car crash that killed a 6-month-old baby over the weekend, State Police said Sunday as the investigation continued.

Jay Katon, 22, of Alburg, Vt., was traveling northbound in his 2008 Chevrolet Impala in the driving lane of the Thruway around 8 a.m. Saturday when he attempted to make an illegal U-turn into the break in the highway just north of the New Baltimore service area. As he turned, he cut into the path of a tractor-trailer that was heading north in the passing lane, State Police Sgt. Ken Graham said.

Vehicle and traffic charges are pending against Katon, the sergeant said.

The infant, who was Katon's son, was pronounced dead at Albany Medical Center Hospital. Katon, his wife, and two other passengers, who may have been the couple's other children, were taken to Albany Med as well. Their conditions, or whether they were treated and released, were not available Sunday.

Graham said the baby was in a proper child restraint in the car's back seat, and everyone else had on seat belts.

— Carol DeMare

It appears there was a whole family in this accident.

[forgivness]

Step12 wrote:

From the Times Union web site:
The weather may have been a factor in a car crash that killed a 6-month-old baby over the weekend, State Police said Sunday as the investigation continued.
Jay Katon, 22, of Alburg, Vt., was traveling northbound in his 2008 Chevrolet Impala in the driving lane of the Thruway around 8 a.m. Saturday when he attempted to make an illegal U-turn into the break in the highway just north of the New Baltimore service area. As he turned, he cut into the path of a tractor-trailer that was heading north in the passing lane, State Police Sgt. Ken Graham said.
Vehicle and traffic charges are pending against Katon, the sergeant said.
The infant, who was Katon's son, was pronounced dead at Albany Medical Center Hospital. Katon, his wife, and two other passengers, who may have been the couple's other children, were taken to Albany Med as well. Their conditions, or whether they were treated and released, were not available Sunday.
Graham said the baby was in a proper child restraint in the car's back seat, and everyone else had on seat belts.
— Carol DeMare
It appears there was a whole family in this accident.

It was a bad jugdement call on his part in the u-turn ,,, very sad my heart goes out to the family,, and too his wife he didn't mean it for give him ,,, for give your husband ,,,love will find away ,, I know your loss was great ,,, but think of the time you had with baby he was a smart for his ages ,, he was starting too talk make sounds and funny facess,, he was a good baby. Bless the whole family

[curious]

scott wrote:

If that a u-turn is not leagal on the ny state thruway then way is the driver not arrested in fact he should face manslaughter charges or at least have his license suspended

If he had been drinking they would be ready to give him the electric chair.It is amazing that you can be stupid and everybody is so sympathteic.

[curious]

Deb W in Rural NY wrote:

There is nothing I can say about this,this man will live with the pain of this for his horrible lack of judgement. This is so very ,very sad.I feel sad for all involved.
Deb

The truck driver will live with this too and he was completely innocent of anything. I would like to see your response if this guy had been drinking

[Brenda]

Nobody knows what happened in that car before this man made the decision he did. It could have been that he needed to get to a hospital for something, or it could have been that he was angry or wreckless, or anything in between. Judgement is often careless when the facts of the circumstances are not known. What is known is that a mother and father have lost their baby, and it appears an entire family has endured a very traumatic event. How horrible, especially at Christmas. And how horrible for the truck driver, who will likely forever question if he could have done anything differently that would have spared this baby's life. It is a tragic, terrible, very sad situation. My heart and prayers go out to all involved. My the Lord be with each of you.

[forgivness]

Very good , ;) ;) :)

[rushme]

thruways have no-you turns posted along roads, its a shame a 6 -month boy had no say that day. driver of car should be charged!

[Kaili]

rushme wrote:

thruways have no-you turns posted along roads, its a shame a 6 -month boy had no say that day. driver of car should be charged!

agreed.
A 6 month old died because his father made an illegal u-turn,how sad.

[34adams]

listen all,i do not feel one bit sorry for this truck drive that madethisiagal u turn. i have dealt with truck driver on a daily bases for over 10 years!!! They do alot of illegal stuff all the time. Check his log book i bet it was not up to date. I dated a female truck drive i know the ins and outs of how they do things.Truck drivers think they own the roads.Well i hope some guy nammed bubba owns that trucks ASS!!!!! My heart and condolinses go out to the family for there lose.just before christmas too.....i hope that drive sits in jail and this haunts him for a long time. maybe next time he will think before he does....Oh wait he is a truck driver they don't think. They don't know how to.
Oh wait...did he have some drive who does not speak english or know how to read either driving??? You know they do that too illagailly!!!!! D.O.T. PULL HIS CDL!!!!!!! JAIL HIS ASS FOR A LONG TIME!!!!

[34adams]

oh kaili where do u drive....are u blind or something...go back to the eye portion of the road test at dmv and get your eyes checked out...i see them all the time i drive on the thru way. How can u charge the driver of the car.Tracktor trailor drivers are NOT allow to be on the far left lane for any reason.It's in the manual that helps u get your cdl license.

[Kaili]

Actually,you are right,my husband is a truck driver,he drives for Price chopper,and he says the trucks are not supposed to be driving in the far left lane too.
But I am not blind,and yes,it was an ILLEGAL u-turn made by the car.Already noted by the cops in this story.If the car had not made the ILLEGAL u-turn,the infant would be alive.
Those u-turn areas are made for cops to sit there and park,not for you and I to make u-turns.

[Kaili]

It was the car that made the u-turn,not the truck,;learn to read before you post.

[Step12]

curious wrote:

<quoted text>If he had been drinking they would be ready to give him the electric chair.It is amazing that you can be stupid and everybody is so sympathteic.

You don't know HOW it happened, only WHAT happened. He could have had the truck in his blind spot, been distracted by something. You may say we're being sympathetic (correct spelling as opposed to yours). I say we are empathetic; putting ourself in his place and trying to understand. YOU are just being PATHETIC. Go to your little world and leave these comments out of here. Or maybe we should use smaller one-syllable words that you understand?

[Kaili]

rushme wrote:

thruways have no-you turns posted along roads, its a shame a 6 -month boy had no say that day. driver of car should be charged!

Thank you,34adams needs to get a clue.