Hudson Valley Man Dies After Allergic Reaction While Driving

Police say a fatal accident was tragically caused by an allergic reaction from a driver who has been pronounced dead.

There are many hazards that cause life-threatening accidents. While many of these are avoidable, like consuming alcohol, texting or being distracted while driving, sometimes an emergency arises that no amount of precaution can prevent.

According to Town of Wallkill Lieutenant Robert McLymore, police responded to reports of a one-car collision on Sunday morning. Just after 9:30am, motorists say they witnessed a car veer off Route 17k and crash. The incident took place near the exit 116 offramp from Route 17, not far from the Quickway Diner.

After arriving on the scene, officers say they discovered one victim unconscious in his own vehicle. An investigation revealed that the driver was traveling on the westbound lane of 17k and crossed over to the eastbound lane, eventually crashing into a utility pole.

Shocking Cause of Town of Wallkill One Car Crash Revealed

Police identified the driver as Richard Gilbert from Middletown, New York. After being extracted from his vehicle, Gilbert was transported to Garnet Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Further investigation revealed that Gilbert suffered from anaphylactic shock, which is being blamed for the crash. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can be deadly on its own. The condition appears when the body's immune system wildly overreacts to an allergen, which could be a food or insect bite. Anaphylaxis triggers a dangerous drop in blood pressure and breathing difficulties, which can lead to death.

It's unclear if Gilbert died from anaphylaxis or the impact of the crash, but either way, police are blaming the Middletown man's death on the unfortunate health emergency.