Pittsfield Man Killed on NYS Thruway

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Joseph Mensah-Otoo was traveling the wrong direction when his 2025 Toyota struck three vehicles.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city man was killed Sunday night in an accident on I-87 in New York State. 
 
Joseph Mensah-Otoo, age 42, of Pittsfield, was ejected from his vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene after New York State Police say he hit three vehicles traveling the wrong way on the thruway. 
 
Three other Berkshire residents traveling north were injured when their vehicles were struck.
 
At approximately 9:11 p.m. on Sunday, troopers assigned to the Albany Thruway barracks responded to a report of a wrong-way driver on Interstate 87 northbound, between Exits 19 and 20, in the town of Saugerties.
 
A preliminary investigation determined that a 2025 Toyota was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes when it struck a 2022 Honda, a 2020 BMW, and a 2017 Ford F-150, all of which were traveling northbound.
 
The operator and sole occupant of the Toyota was identified as Mensah-Otoo.
 
Six other individuals were injured in the crash, including a 37-year-old man from New City; a 59-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman, both from Cohoes, N.Y.; two 19-year-old men, both from Dalton; and a 19-year-old man from Hinsdale. 
 
All were transported to Health Alliance Hospital in Kingston, N.Y., with non-life-threatening injuries.
 
State Police say the accident is still under investigation. They did not indicate how or why Mensah-Otoo was driving in the wrong lanes. 

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Demonstrators in Park Square Urge Voting; Polls Close at 8 p.m.

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Community members stood in Park Square on midterm election day urging everyone to use their voices at the polls. 

The standout was organized by Indivisible Pittsfield, and accompanied by a demonstration the previous day and another on election day at the Woodlawn Avenue rotary. 

"It's very important to vote, especially historically. Women didn't always have the vote. Minorities didn't always have the vote, so it's so incredibly important for everybody to go out and vote," said Rose Fiscella, with Indivisible Pittsfield. 

"Not just men, not just women, not just minorities. Everybody. No matter who you want to vote for — red, blue, purple — anybody." 

As a 20-year-old, Fiscella emphasized the importance of young people exercising their civic duty. Her sign read "Don't let America's 250th be our last." 

iBerkshires spoke to attendees at the beginning of the rally in downtown Pittsfield, down the street from polling locations at the Berkshire Athenaeum and Providence Court. 

"To me it feels more important than ever to vote and vote blue specifically," said  Lois Prew. 

"I'm encouraged that people are turning out in high numbers to vote. I feel like there's a blue wave going on, so I'm encouraged by that."

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