July 14, 2009
Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Police released new information Tuesday night in that deadly wrong-way crash Friday on Route 481 in Clay that killed three people.
The car driven by Gary Foster entered 481 going the wrong direction in Fulton and traveled 15 miles before slamming head-on into Alaina Reed's car in Clay.
Monday, we told you Oswego County 911 received 16 emergency calls about the car going the wrong way.
Tuesday, Onondaga County 911 tells us they received 23 phone calls about the car, 22 before the crash, and one from a caller who waited until they arrived home.
The first call made in Oswego County came in at 10:21 p.m. The crash happened 11 minutes later.
July 13, 2009:
Police: Wrong-way driver entered 481 in Fulton
Fulton (WSYR-TV) – Oswego County took in 16 calls from drivers Friday night, who saw Gary Foster, 60, speeding the wrong way down the northbound lanes of 481.
State police say they have received a call from an eyewitness who saw a car turn right off of Route 57 in Fulton and get on Route 481 North heading in the wrong direction.
Police were able to confirm that from several other witnesses who spotted the car heading the wrong way on 481 south of the city of Fulton and north of the Phoenix exit.
“I knew it was going to be bad. He was going so fast. I got home and told my husband we’ve got to watch the news,” said Tracey Bell, who saw Foster driving the wrong way down 481.
Bell didn’t call 911, because her cell phone was out of reach. But she didn’t need to. Dozens of drivers frantically relayed the same message.
Here’s a list of the call times that came in to Fulton:10:21PM
10:22PM
10:23PM
10:24PM
10:25PM
10:25PM
10:25PM
10:26PM
10:27PM
Seconds later, others followed. Police say Foster’s car finally crashed into another vehicle shortly after 10:30PM. It’s unlikely Alaina Reed, who was driving the other vehicle, had any time to react.
“And there are a couple of bends in that road, so you wouldn’t have seen those headlights until the last second come flying around them.” Bell said. “I'm still pretty shaky because I had kids waiting for me to come home. I have a husband who was waiting for me to come home. Yeah, it's nerve wracking, because you don't expect that the last time you get in your car will be the last time.”
State police are asking anyone with any information about the crash to call Investigator Kevin Connors at 677-9964.
The victims of the crash are: Gary Foster, 60, of Moore Ave. in Syracuse, and Jacqueline Grove, 82, of E. Brighton Ave were in the car heading in the wrong direction. Police say Foster was the driver. Alaina Reed, 27, of Braewood Drive in Baldwinsville was the driver of the other car. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
Calling hours for Reed are 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Forani and Cline Funeral Home in East Syracuse. The funeral will be held Wednesday at St. Matthew's Church, also in East Syracuse, starting at 9:00 a.m.
