SALINA, NEW YORK — A North Carolina truck driver hauling an over-height excavator plowed through more than a dozen overpasses along a 60-mile stretch of the New York State Thruway Thursday afternoon. Troopers tracked him down and pulled him over. He now faces reckless endangerment charges and more than 20 tickets.
Shortly before 2 p.m. on March 18, 2026, the New York Thruway Authority reported overpass strikes from a commercial truck heading westbound between Exits 30 and 36. Troopers located the suspect vehicle — a 2019 Freightliner hauling an over-height excavator on a flatbed trailer — and stopped it in the town of Salina. The driver, Oleksander Tarakanovskyi, 38, of North Carolina, had struck more than a dozen overpasses across the 60-mile stretch. Nobody got hurt.
Photo credit: NYSP
The Damage
Inspectors found mild to moderate damage across the affected overpasses. Crews are now examining all impacted structures for potential structural issues. Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare confirmed all bridges remain safe but said repair work will move forward as needed.
“Reckless and ignorant driver behavior has serious consequences. How a tractor trailer driver could be unaware that his load hit more than a dozen bridges is beyond comprehension,” Hoare said. “While bridge hits plague states across the nation, we are committed to holding irresponsible drivers accountable.”
The Charges
Troopers charged Tarakanovskyi with second-degree reckless endangerment and handed him more than 20 tickets. These included citations for violating federal commercial motor vehicle safety regulations.
New York State Police Troop T Commander Major Brian T. Ferrone praised his team’s swift response. “Reckless, egregious behavior will not be tolerated. I commend our uniform troopers and members of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit for their swift actions in removing this hazard from the road, preventing potential injury to other motorists,” Ferrone said.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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