What Happened
A four-vehicle crash shut down Interstate 84 in Montgomery and sent four people to the hospital on Monday, September 17, 2026, according to News 12 Long Island. New York State Police arrested Joshua Martin, 38, at the scene.
New York State Police said one vehicle was rear-ended first, then two additional vehicles were struck in the chain reaction. Martin’s vehicle caught fire after the collision sequence. Viewer video submitted to News 12 showed flames and a massive traffic backup stretching along the interstate.
A medical helicopter landed directly on Interstate 84 to respond to the injured, News 12 reported. All four drivers sustained injuries; state police said none were life-threatening. The highway closure was significant enough to force the helicopter landing on the travel lanes.
Martin was charged with DWI and multiple traffic violations, according to New York State Police. State police did not specify Martin’s hometown or the exact time of the crash in the initial report published at 5:41 a.m. on September 17, 2026.
Location & Road Context
Interstate 84 in Montgomery runs through Orange County in the Hudson Valley, west of the Hudson River and roughly 60 miles north of Long Island. The highway carries heavy commercial and commuter traffic through the region, and a full closure at any point forces vehicles onto parallel local routes with limited capacity.
A crash of this scale — four vehicles, a fire, and a helicopter landing on the roadway — would have pushed backups well beyond the immediate scene. No mile marker or exit number was specified in the News 12 report.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
New York State Police charged Joshua Martin, 38, with DWI and multiple traffic violations following the crash. A BAC reading, arraignment date, and bail status were not included in the initial state police report cited by News 12 Long Island.
State police did not name the other three drivers involved or specify whether any passengers were present in any of the four vehicles. The investigation was handled by New York State Police out of the Troop F area, which covers Orange County.
Broader Impact
A DWI conviction in New York under VTL § 1192.3 carries a minimum fine of $500, up to one year in jail, and a six-month license revocation for a first offense. Martin faces additional exposure from the multiple traffic violation charges, and any civil liability from the injuries to the other three drivers.