CLAVERACK, NY (April 6, 2026) – A head-on collision in Claverack claimed four lives Monday evening, authorities confirmed.
Julia Ritchie, 62, of Stockport, was traveling as a passenger in a Toyota Crown on Route 9H when the crash occurred near Van Wyck Lane around 7 p.m.
Investigators say a Toyota Prius crossed the centerline and collided with the vehicle carrying Ritchie. She was pronounced dead at the scene along with three occupants of the Prius.
Two additional passengers in the Prius, including a 1-year-old girl and a 33-year-old woman, were transported to Albany Medical Center in critical condition.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation.
