A New York State Police trooper was injured late Thursday night after being struck by a pickup truck while assisting a disabled motorist on the New York State Thruway in West Seneca.
State Police say the trooper was outside his patrol vehicle around 10:00 p.m on the westbound Exit 54 ramp when a truck driven by 34-year-old James Stumpf of Buffalo left the left shoulder of the ramp and crashed into an embankment where the trooper had been standing, hitting him.
The trooper was taken to Erie County Medical Center for treatment and was later released.
Investigators say Stumpf showed signs of impairment at the scene. Field sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test indicated alcohol use. A breath test at the State Police barracks later showed a blood alcohol content of 0.06 percent. In addition, an evaluation by a State Police Drug Recognition Expert found indicators of recent drug use.
Stumpf was charged with driving while impaired, felony vehicular assault, and several vehicle and traffic violations.
State Police are reminding drivers that New York’s Move Over Law requires motorists to slow down, remain alert, and move over when it is safe to do so for all vehicles stopped along the roadside. Officials say more than 2,500 tickets were issued for Move Over Law violations on the Thruway in 2025.
