State Police say Mary Lou Alexander died after the Sept. 18 collision; another driver suffered serious, non-life-threatening injuries.
A Hounsfield fatal crash has claimed the life of an 83-year-old New Hartford woman, according to an updated report from New York State Police. Troopers identified the woman as Mary Lou Alexander and said the two-vehicle collision happened Sept. 18 at the intersection of State Route 3 and County Route 66. The update also identifies the second driver and provides new information about her injuries.
What happened in the Hounsfield fatal crash?
New York State Police said troopers responded at about 4:49 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2026. Their preliminary investigation found that Alexander was driving a 2016 Honda Fit north on County Route 66 and was attempting to cross State Route 3 onto State Route 180.
According to the police account, the Honda Fit failed to yield at a stop sign and entered the path of a 2024 Honda CR-V traveling east on State Route 3. The CR-V was driven by 55-year-old Paula Edwards of Sackets Harbor.
The vehicles collided at the intersection. Both drivers were transported to Samaritan Medical Center. State Police said Alexander was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Edwards sustained serious injuries that police described as non-life-threatening.
Why the update matters to Mohawk Valley readers
The crash occurred outside the immediate Utica area, but Alexander was from New Hartford. That gives the case a direct local connection for readers in the Mohawk Valley.
The Sept. 22 update provides information that was not included in early reports: the names of both drivers and the condition of the surviving driver. Earlier coverage described the basic crash sequence and said an 83-year-old New Hartford woman had died, but the updated State Police release identifies Alexander by name and says Edwards suffered serious, non-life-threatening injuries.
The State Police release does not include additional biographical information about Alexander. It also does not say where she was traveling before the crash or what her destination may have been.
Investigation remains open
State Police emphasized that the crash investigation is preliminary. The agency said: The investigation is ongoing.
No additional contributing factors were identified in the Sept. 22 release. Police did not say that weather, road conditions, speed, distraction, impairment or a mechanical problem played a role. Those possibilities should not be assumed without further evidence.
What police have not announced
State Police have not announced any tickets or criminal charges in connection with the collision. The release also does not say whether additional witness statements, video, vehicle data or other evidence are still being reviewed.
That distinction is important in any serious crash report. A preliminary police summary describes the agency’s current understanding of the sequence of events. It is not the same as a final finding on every cause or contributing circumstance.
Key facts from the crash
- Date: Sept. 18, 2026
- Time: approximately 4:49 p.m.
- Location: State Route 3 and County Route 66 in Hounsfield
- Vehicles: 2016 Honda Fit and 2024 Honda CR-V
- Driver who died: Mary Lou Alexander, 83, of New Hartford
- Second driver: Paula Edwards, 55, of Sackets Harbor
- Injuries: Edwards suffered serious, non-life-threatening injuries
- Investigation: ongoing, according to State Police
What the preliminary police account says
State Police said Alexander was traveling north on County Route 66 and attempting to cross State Route 3 onto State Route 180. Investigators said the Honda Fit failed to yield at a stop sign and moved into the path of the eastbound Honda CR-V.
That is the agency’s current account based on its preliminary investigation. The wording matters because the investigation has not been closed. Readers should distinguish between facts State Police have released and questions that remain unanswered.
The updated release lists Trooper Jennifer Jiron as the Troop D public information officer. The agency also provides a public information phone number of 315-366-6000 for Troop D.
Official source and continuing coverage
The primary source for this report is the New York State Police update published Sept. 22, 2026. Independent reports published after the crash described the same basic preliminary sequence and cited State Police.
Because the case remains active, additional details could be released later. Utica Phoenix will update this story if State Police issue new verified information about the crash, the investigation or any enforcement action.
