On April 21, 2019, at approximately 8:40 p.m., state police responded to a reported head-on crash at the intersection of State Route 13 and McConnell Road in the town of Williamstown.
The investigation revealed a 1999 pickup truck, operated by Hunter Grass, 21, of Route 13, Westdale, was southbound on McConnell Road when he exited the east shoulder of the roadway, traveled across a grassy area and entered the northbound lane of State Route 13 where he struck a 2004 Saturn head-on.
Following the crash, Grass fled the scene on foot. State police K9 along with the Onondaga County Sheriff’s AIR-1 helicopter responded to the area to search for Grass. Following a three-hour manhunt, Grass was found hiding in a bed of a pickup truck on Miller Road in Westdale and was taken into custody without further incident.
The driver of the Saturn, Joshua E. Carpenter, 31, and his two passengers (ages 7 and 10) were transported by NOCA ambulance to SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse with internal injuries.
Grass was charged with three counts of second-degree vehicular assault, a class E felony; driving while intoxicated, an unclassified misdemeanor; and reckless driving, an unclassified misdemeanor.
Grass was arraigned in Williamstown Town Court and remanded to the Oswego County Jail on $5,000 cash bail/ $10,000 secured bond.
State police were assisted at the scene by Onondaga County Sheriff’s Air-1, Williamstown Fire Department, West Amboy Fire Department and Camden Fire Department.