BETHLEHEM — A 19-year-old man was killed Monday evening in a motorcycle crash at the intersection of Route 9W and Magee Drive, according to police.
The victim, identified as Mason Ruggaber, was a resident of the town’s Delmar neighborhood and a recent graduate of Bethlehem High School. Authorities said he died at the scene after his motorcycle collided with an SUV.
Preliminary findings indicate that Ruggaber was traveling northbound on Route 9W at the time of the crash. The SUV, driven by a 53-year-old local resident who lives near the scene, was heading southbound when the collision occurred.
Emergency responders arrived shortly after the incident. While Ruggaber was pronounced dead at the scene, the SUV driver was transported to Albany Medical Center for treatment of injuries that police described as non-life-threatening.
Ruggaber was listed by the Bethlehem Central School District as a member of the Class of 2025. News of his death has begun to spread through the community, where he is remembered as a young man with strong local ties.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Police say the investigation is ongoing as they work to understand the circumstances leading up to the collision.
