Copake man accused of driving drunk, killing motorcyclist in crash

A Columbia County man is accused of driving drunk and crashing his pick-up truck into a motorcyclist, killing him.

Alan Ingraham, 75, of Copake, was traveling west on State Route 23 in Copake Saturday evening, when he tried turn to turn left onto Route 11A, did not yield the right of way to the motorcyclist and struck him, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

Christopher Simmons, 29, of Mechanicville was thrown from the motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at Columbia Memorial Hospital.

Ingraham appeared to be drunk and was found to have a blood alcoholic concentration more than twice the legal limit, investigators said.

Ingraham was charged with vehicular manslaughter and DWI, plus failure to keep right and failure to yield the right of way.

He was arraigned in Claverack Town Court and sent to Columbia County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond. He is due back in court at a later date. 

A passenger in Ingraham’s vehicle, Rosemary Ingraham, was taken to Columbia Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.

The road was closed for about three hours.