Twisted metal. Screeching sirens. Blood. On a gray morning in the student parking lot of Hunter-Tannersville Central School, more than 110 students in grades 9 through 12 stood silently as a harrowing scene unfolded: the school’s first-ever mock car crash, organized by the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).
The event was a graphic and emotional warning about the real-life consequences of drinking and driving. Tears welled in some students’ eyes as they watched their peers portray a tragedy that felt all too real. Student actors played the injured, the drunk driver, the dead and their grief-stricken family members—transforming the quiet mountain campus into a scene of devastation.
Nicole Benjamin, HT’s attendance officer and SADD advisor, spearheaded the demonstration.
“I worked for Cairo-Durham and attended one of their demonstrations. I thought it would be great for HTC,” Benjamin said. She began organizing the event in October. She plans to make the program an annual event with a new theme each year. “This year was drunk driving. There’s also distracted driving, Driving While Ability Impaired, and others.”
Two vehicles—staged as having collided head-on—sat crumpled on tarps. In one car were three people; in the other, two. When the “crash” ended, two students and one teacher were pronounced dead, one was injured, and one—the drunk driver—was led away in handcuffs.
The response followed a chillingly accurate sequence: first on scene was the Town of Hunter Police Department, followed by state police and the Greene County Sheriff’s Department. Then came fire departments and emergency medical services. Jerry Buckley of the Cairo Fire Department, who emceed the event, walked the crowd through the steps first responders take during such a catastrophe. Students stood in solemn silence, absorbing every detail.
In years past, the school displayed a wrecked vehicle near Route 23A ahead of prom season to remind students of the risks. But this year’s demonstration went much further. The realism was stark: hearing the sirens, watching firefighters use the jaws of life to tear open a car’s roof and doors, witnessing the injured loaded into an ambulance, the drunk driver arrested, and the deceased zipped into black body bags by the coroner.
HTC Superintendent Vincent Butera said, “The event was deeply moving and impactful and it was evident that it resonated greatly with our students.”
Departments and organizations that participated included Pete’s Hunter Auto Repair and Towing, Haines Falls Auto Center, Haines Falls Fire Company, Hunter Fire Co. No. 1, Town of Hunter Police Department, Town of Hunter EMS, Tannersville Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Lexington Fire Department, Greene County Paramedics, the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, the county coroner, and the Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
One of the most emotional moments came when Liza Dwon, a Greene County EMS worker, played the role of a distraught mother arriving to find her daughter Abigail “dead” in the crash. In real life, Abigail is Liza’s daughter, making the moment even more devastating for those watching.
Sgt. Robert Haines of the Town of Hunter Police Department said, “It went well and was very impactful. The students seemed very receptive. Hopefully, it helps prevent situations like this in the future.”
Ava Byrne, a member of SADD, said the demonstration’s realism left a lasting impression.
“It was great we could have students, faculty, and first responders bring awareness to everyday situations. I don’t think many people know what happens after an accident. I know a bunch of people around me had tears in their eyes. It was good for students to see this and help them make smart decisions.”
Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky echoed the event’s importance.
“I think it makes a tremendous impact on students, and it gives them a chance to see these things happen, even in rural areas like ours. It makes things more personal for them because they know everybody,” he said. “It’s a tragedy when we have to make these notifications, affecting families forever. These demonstrations hopefully show students the importance of making good decisions.”
Kusminsky said his department has partnered with the Cairo Fire Department on similar demonstrations for more than 20 years and hopes to expand the program to more districts. Currently, the demonstrations occur at Cairo-Durham, Catskill, and Hunter-Tannersville Central.
As prom season approaches, the message is clear: one bad decision behind the wheel can end lives and destroy families. Organizers hope students left with more than just shock—hopefully, they left with resolve.
Max Oppen is a contributing journalist. Send correspondence to reporting@theoverlooknews.com.