Police say a pickup ran a stop sign, struck a Kia and left the scene. The injured driver was taken to a hospital.

A Malone hit-and-run collision left a Chateaugay woman with injuries and led to the arrest of a 19-year-old Malone man, according to New York State Police. Troopers say a pickup failed to stop at an intersection, struck the woman’s car and drove away. The woman was taken to a hospital with injuries police described as not life threatening. The account comes from a State Police release dated September 22; the crash happened September 11.

What State Police say happened in Malone

Troopers were called to Junction Road and Houndsville Road in the town of Malone at about 7:13 a.m. on September 11 for a two-vehicle collision. According to their investigation, a blue 2002 Dodge pickup was headed north on Houndsville Road. Police say its driver failed to stop at the stop sign where that road meets Junction Road.

The pickup struck a green 2024 Kia and then left the scene, the release says. State Police have not provided a diagram of the collision or said how fast either vehicle was traveling. The agency’s account does not describe the weather, the road surface or the drivers’ movements just before impact. Those details should not be assumed from the outcome.

• When: About 7:13 a.m. on September 11, 2026.
• Where: Junction Road and Houndsville Road, town of Malone.
• Vehicles: A blue 2002 Dodge pickup and a green 2024 Kia, according to police.
• Reported injury: The Kia driver was taken to a hospital with injuries described as not life threatening.

The release identifies the Kia driver as Tina M. Decosse, 55, of Chateaugay. Malone EMS was evaluating her when troopers arrived. She was taken to Alice Hyde Memorial Hospital. Police did not provide further information about her treatment or recovery, and the release does not state whether anyone in the pickup was hurt.

Arrest and charges

State Police say their investigation identified the pickup driver as Ian Tuper Gervais, 19, of Malone. Troopers arrested him and processed him at the State Police barracks in Malone. The agency says he was charged with third-degree assault and issued vehicle and traffic tickets. It did not specify which traffic violations appear on those tickets.

After processing, he was “released on an appearance ticket,” the State Police release says. The ticket calls for him to appear in Town of Malone Court on a date later in October. The agency did not give the exact date. An appearance ticket directs a person to return to court; it does not decide whether that person is guilty.

The press release calls this a hit-and-run collision because investigators say the pickup left the scene. It does not list a separate leaving-the-scene charge. The reported third-degree assault charge and unspecified traffic tickets are the charges the public release names. We cannot verify whether other charges were filed or whether the listed charges have changed since the release.

What the law says about leaving a crash scene

What is a hit-and-run? In everyday use, it means a driver leaves after a collision without meeting the duties the law requires. The specific legal question depends on what happened and what the driver knew. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 600 sets separate rules for property damage and personal injury. It calls for a driver who knows, or has reason to know, that another person was injured to stop and provide required information before leaving, with provisions for reporting to police.

The New York Department of Motor Vehicles tells motorists to notify police immediately if someone is injured or killed in a crash. It also says a motorist must file a crash report if a person is injured or killed, or if damage to one person’s property exceeds $1,000. These are general state rules; they do not establish which traffic tickets were issued in this case.

New York Penal Law Section 120.00 describes several ways a person may be charged with third-degree assault, including conduct involving intent or recklessness. It classifies the offense as a misdemeanor. The State Police release does not say which part of that law investigators relied on here. That matters: readers should not infer a finding of intent, impairment or any other unreported circumstance.

What remains unanswered

The State Police account gives the location, time, vehicles, injury report and the name and age of the man charged. It leaves several questions open. The exact traffic tickets were not listed. The release did not give a precise October court date, a detailed account of how investigators identified the driver, or an update on Decosse after she was transported to the hospital.

Nor does the public release include Gervais’s response to the allegations. Police findings and an arrest are the start of a court process, not its conclusion. Any finding of guilt would have to come through that process. Utica Phoenix will update this report if authorities release material new information.

If you are involved in a crash

For drivers, the practical message is simple: stop, check for injuries and seek help. If someone is hurt, call 911 and notify police. Exchange required identifying and insurance information, and follow the DMV’s instructions for filing a crash report. If it is safe, record the location and other information for responding officers. Do not guess about injuries or drive off because a vehicle looks undamaged; an injured person may need help even when the damage is not obvious.

The Malone case also shows why careful reporting matters. Investigators say one driver was hurt and another driver left; the released record says the latter was charged with third-degree assault and received traffic tickets. For now, those are allegations and reported facts, not a verdict. Readers can check the State Police release for the agency’s original account and watch for a court update.

Sources: New York State Police release, September 22, 2026; New York DMV crash-report guidance; Vehicle and Traffic Law §600; Penal Law §120.00.