A vehicle crash at the Angola rest area along the New York State Thruway left seven people injured Sunday morning after a driver mistakenly accelerated into a ravine, State Police said.
Gyanendra Timalsina, 39, of Pickerington, Ohio, was driving a 2025 Honda SUV eastbound when he entered the rest area ramp in the town of Evans and pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, according to investigators. The SUV struck a traffic sign, broke through a chain link fence, and plummeted about 150 feet into a ravine before landing on its roof.
Emergency crews from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, along with fire and EMS responders from Evans Center, Eden, Gowanda, and Erie County, worked to extricate the victims from the vehicle and carry them up from the ravine.
A 10-year-old child was airlifted to Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo with non-life-threatening injuries to the head, arm, and leg. Two other children, ages six and 13, were also taken to Oishei with minor injuries.
Timalsina and three adult passengers—ages 66, 65, and 44—were transported to Erie County Medical Center. All suffered minor injuries.
All occupants were from Ohio, except the 44-year-old passenger, who is from Lexington, Kentucky. No tickets were issued in the incident.
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