NEW SCOTLAND, NY - A local attorney was involved in a single-vehicle crash in New Scotland on a Sunday night, May 8th.

Numerous callers reported that a car had crashed into a tree with possible smoke coming from the vehicle on New Scotland Road in the area of Heldervue Avenue and Westover Road around 8:30 P.M.

“The vehicle had continued further off the roadway, rolling over and causing the driver to become entrapped in the vehicle,” according to a statement from the Albany County Sheriff’s Office.

The Slingerlands Fire Department responded to the scene with Delmar-Bethlehem EMS, Albany County Paramedics and the Albany County Sheriff’s Department. Upon arrival of first responders they noticed a car that was well off the road on its roof with the driver still trapped inside.

The driver, identified by Albany County Sheriffs as Brian Devane, is a well-known criminal justice attorney in the area. Firefighters immediately began stabilizing the vehicle and removing Devane.

Battery-operated extrication equipment was used to cut the car open so crews could remove the patient, since hydraulic tools could not be used due to the distance the car was off the roadway.

“The extrication took about 12 minutes due to the vehicle being on its roof and the amount of trees and debris around, which made it difficult to work,” said Chief Craig Sleurs of the Slingerlands Fire Department.

Debris was scattered at the scene, as well as one of the wheels on the vehicle that could not be found. Marks in the trees showed the height of the debris and the vehicle had gone at least 25-feet off the road, Sleurs said.

Firefighters used thermal imaging cameras to search the wooded area in case there may have been any other passengers that may have been ejected, though their results were negative. New Scotland Road was closed in the area for approximately two hours while the vehicle was removed from the woods by Robert’s Towing, according to Sleurs.

Devane was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Sheriffs. Sheriffs remained on the scene for accident reconstruction. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Devane has an office in Delmar and covers a wide range of criminal cases and personal injury claims. According to his website, some of the criminal offenses he covers are traffic offenses, drunk driving offenses, weapons charges and drug charges. He is a top rated criminal defense attorney in Delmar and has received many awards and recognitions, and was selected to Super Lawyers for 2009-2022.