November 5, 2026 - Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision

On November 5, 2026, at approximately 5:50 p.m., Tompkins County Sheriff's deputies, along with Dryden Ambulance and multiple fire agencies, responded to the 100 block of Hurd Road in the Town of Dryden, NY for a reported motor vehicle crash involving a 2017 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck. The vehicle had struck a tree, trapping the driver, who was the sole occupant.

While emergency personnel were responding, Tompkins County 911 Dispatch advised that the vehicle had become fully engulfed in flames.

Upon arrival, members of the Dryden Fire Department and other responding fire agencies worked to extinguish the fire. Once the fire was brought under control, first responders located the vehicle's sole occupant, Chase Nash, age 24 of Dryden, NY, who had sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash and resulting fire.

Preliminary investigation indicates that no other vehicles were involved. An initial examination of the scene suggests the vehicle drifted off the roadway before it struck a tree. 

The Sheriff's Office extends its condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased.