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The incident happened on Friday, Jan. 1 at approximately 2:30 a.m. in Rockland County on the southbound side of I-87 in Chestnut Ridge.
A preliminary investigation determined that Dante M. Damanti, age 41, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, located a disabled vehicle in the right southbound lane at mile marker 24.4, according to state police
Damanti parked his 2018 Freightliner tractor-trailer in the right lane, behind the disabled vehicle, and set up orange hazard triangles while awaiting a tow truck, state police said.
While the tow truck was loading the disabled vehicle, a 2015 Mercedes-Benz traveling southbound, struck the rear of the tractor-trailer.
The driver of the Mercedes, Mardochena Louis, age 26, of Spring Valley, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Rockland County Medical Examiner.
The passenger of the Mercedes Benz, Quinten T. Jackson, 35, of Spring Valley, was transported to Westchester Medical Center with multiple injuries and is currently in serious but stable condition.
Damanti, who was seated in the tractor-trailer at the time of the crash, was not injured.
The tow truck and disabled vehicle were not involved in the collision and no additional injuries were reported.
Troopers were assisted on the scene by Troop F BCI. The crash remains under investigation.
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