Ride safe, Catskills: Two local skateboarders have collided with cars in the last week, one of whom was killed. Photo of Jart skateboard by Flickr user Steffen Ramsaier; published under Creative Commons license.
On Tuesday, a Long Island teenager on a skateboard was struck by a car in the Middletown hamlet of Arkville. It's the second local accident in a week in which a car and a skateboarder collided violently.
According to Delaware County sheriff's deputies, 40-year-old Jessica Koester of the town of Middletown was driving her 2007 Subaru on Glen Acres Road in Arkville when she collided with 19-year-old Rolando Martinez of Montauk, who was skateboarding toward her. Koester told police she swerved to avoid Martinez, but was unable to avoid hitting him.
Martinez was airlifted to Albany Medical Center by helicopter, and as of Wednesday, was listed in serious but stable condition.
Last Thursday, 50-year-old Bernard Hamilton of Tannersville was killed when he was struck by a police cruiser while skateboarding on Route 23A. The local community is grieving the loss of Hamilton, a well-known and widely liked character around town known to many as "Benny the Blade" for his lawn-mowing business.
