Court documents: Man who crashed into trooper, tow operator was on heroin

The man accused of crashing into a state trooper and tow truck driver was under the influence of heroin, according to court documents.

State Police said Jason Guerin, 40, of Ballston Spa, crashed his 2023 Ford F-150 into a state trooper and tow truck driver that was pulled over near Exit 6 and Exit 7 southbound ramp of the Northway in Colonie.

It happened around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2. The police had stopped a driver for a traffic violation and that vehicle was being loaded to be towed.

The crash severely injured Trooper Nicholas Abbondola and tow truck driver Brett M. Dempsey, 29, of Clifton Park.

Court documents paint a picture from witnesses about what happened that day and people who jumped in to help.

Witnesses describe the pickup truck veering from its lane.

One witness said the trooper was standing toward the rear of the tow truck.

“I then see the truck driver towards them and the trooper and tow truck driver had no time to react. It looked like the truck hit both of them and bounced off. The truck continued until it pulled off just before the exit,” he said.

Another witness said that the truck moved from the third lane to the fifth lane and then struck the trooper and tow operator. The trooper rolled between the truck and tow truck and did not get out. The tow truck driver was knocked down and got back up.

The trooper’s teeth were knocked out. He as unconscious and he had a deep cut over his left eye. His right arm was severely injured, and he had cuts and bruises on his legs, according to court documents.

Another witness said Guerin pulled over after the crash and asked: “is he hurt real bad?”

Another driver told police that he pulled over and parked in front of the truck to box it in and make sure Guerin did not leave.

A Good Samaritan who lives in Clifton Park saw the tow truck and a bloody person the ground. She told her boyfriend to stop the car. and she jumped out.

The trooper had a pulse, but she told police he was barely conscious. She was talking to him and additional troopers and EMS arrived 3 to 4 minutes later. She helped to put him on the stretcher, noticing his face becoming gray. She gathered his belongings and gave them to another trooper who had arrived on scene.

Guerin told police that he had “a little” heroin, according to court documents.

He said he works at St. Peter’s in Schenectady. He said he was coming from home and driving to Enterprise in Clifton Park, court documents showed.

He also told police he is under the care of a neurologist for a sleep disorder.

Guerin was convicted in March 2024 of driving while intoxicated in Malta Town Court, court documents showed.

Guerin was charged with aggravated vehicular assault, assault, driving while ability impaired by drugs-previous conviction, operating a motor vehicle without an inspection certificate, failure to exercise due care to avoid colliding with an emergency vehicle, failure to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a hazard vehicle, reckless driving, speeding and moving from lane unsafely.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has additional information is asked to contact State Police at 518-457-6811 or email michael.altieri@troopers.ny.gov.