A longtime New York City Department of Environmental Protection employee was killed in a crash that shut down part of Route 9W in Orange County on Friday morning, Dec. 26, officials confirmed.
The victim was identified by the NYC DEP as Ed Walters, who was fatally injured in a motor vehicle crash in Newburgh while traveling to work at the Hillview Reservoir, a critical component of New York City’s water supply system.
Earlier Friday, Town of Newburgh Police said the crash occurred near Devito Drive, prompting the closure of Route 9W between Carter Avenue and North Hill Lane in both directions. According to 511NY, the incident involved a fatality and required a full roadway shutdown as investigators worked the scene.
Walters had worked for the DEP since 2002 and was assigned to the agency’s Bureau of Water Supply, according to the department.
"The entire DEP family is grieving today," said DEP Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala, who continued, "Ed was a valued and experienced employee who served DEP and the City of New York with distinction for more than two decades."
Authorities have not yet released details about how the crash occurred. Route 9W has since reopened to traffic.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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