Brighton, N.Y. – A head-on crash early Friday smashed two vehicles - and sent both drivers to Strong Hospital.
Emergency crews responded to a report of a wrong-way driver traveling south in the northbound lanes on I-590 near the Empire Blvd. Exit, Friday at 1:46 a.m.
Troopers tried to stop the wrong-way driver by following him with lights flashing and sirens wailing. They called for back-up when the driver did not respond.
The driver, Mario Carlenius, 38, from Rochester struck a vehicle traveling I-390 southbound towards the I-590 northbound interchange.
The driver of the second vehicle, Stanislov Dutchak, age 20, from Hilton, was heading to work when he was hit.
Both subjects were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with serious injuries.
The State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit stayed on the scene conducting an investigation. Roads in the area were closed until just before 7 a.m.
"As you can imagine it was a very difficult scene as the two car collided head on, debris was everywhere and it was a little confusing," said New York State Trooper Mark O'Donnell
Police say that they followed Carlenius for four to five minutes trying to get him to stop.
"It's a very dangerous thing and the troopers that attempted to stop the motorists were put in a very dangerous situation too because they were driving against traffic even though they had their sirens on and their spotlights."
The investigation is ongoing.
Carlenius is in guarded condition, and Dutchak is also in guarded condition, according to Strong Hospital.
