The New York State Attorney General’s Office has opened an investigation into a fatal crash in Schuyler County that claimed the life of a New Jersey man over the Independence Day weekend.
The Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) announced Wednesday that it is reviewing the July 5 collision involving a New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision parole officer in the Town of Cayuta.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, a DOCCS parole officer was driving to work shortly before 5 a.m. when his vehicle collided with a Tesla at the intersection of State Routes 224 and 13 in Cayuta. A rear-seat passenger in the Tesla, 31-year-old Prasanna Atlur of New Jersey, later died at Robert Packer Hospital.
State Police said the preliminary investigation found the Tesla, driven by 25-year-old Madhu Mala of New Jersey, allegedly entered the intersection against a red light and was struck by the parole officer’s eastbound Dodge Charger, which had the green light. The officer was later identified as 52-year-old Bryan Woodworth of Elmira.
Mala suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries. She was initially taken to Guthrie Corning Hospital before being transferred to Robert Packer Hospital. Two other passengers were also injured. Thirty-one-year-old Akhil Valluri of New Jersey was hospitalized with serious injuries, while 24-year-old Jathin Kolla of New Jersey was evaluated and found to have no apparent injuries.
Woodworth was transported to Arnot Ogden Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Under New York Executive Law, the Office of Special Investigation reviews incidents in which a police officer or peace officer, including parole and corrections officers, may have caused a person’s death through an act or omission. The review applies regardless of whether the officer was on or off duty and whether the deceased was in custody.
The Attorney General’s Office emphasized that the information released so far is preliminary and subject to change as the investigation continues.
The crash also remains under investigation by the New York State Police, with assistance from the Collision Reconstruction Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Identification Unit.
