NYSP Homer investigates four vehicle crash in Preble

Press Release

On October 6, 2024, at approximately 11:16 p.m., New York State Police at Homer (Interstate) responded to a four-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 in the town of Preble. One person was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

An investigation at the scene revealed that a Honda minivan was traveling south on I-81 when the vehicle hydroplaned and overturned. The driver, Savidis Nickolaos, age 39 of Grand Island, NY was able to exit the vehicle and get off the roadway.

A tractor trailer that was also traveling south on I-81 struck the Honda minivan which then caused the Honda minivan to strike two other vehicles, a two-door Honda and a Toyota minivan. The occupants of those vehicles were checked out on scene but not transported. The operator of the tractor trailer is identified as Herbert Scandell, age 63 of Syracuse, NY. The operator of the two-door Honda is identified as Cynthia Smith, age 39 of Towanda, PA and the driver of the Toyota minivan is identified as Michael F. LaPlaca, age 70 of Hilton, NY.

The operator of the Honda minivan (Savidis Nickalaos) was transported by TLC to Upstate Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries.