Coxsackie man sentenced to prison for fatal wrong-way crash

ALBANY―A Coxsackie man is headed to state prison for causing a fatal I-787 crash in Albany last fall.

Lewis Thomas, 44, was sentenced on Tuesday in Albany County Court by Judge Christopher Maier to a minimum of five years and a maximum of 15 years.

Thomas pleaded guilty in April to second-degree manslaughter and driving while intoxicated.

According to State Police, Thomas was driving in the wrong lane when he struck a northbound vehicle operated by Eric J. Hurley, 38, of Albany at around 4:39 a.m. on Sunday, October 12. Hurley did not survive.

Blood tests later showed that Thomas, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.16, twice the legal limit, at the time of the crash.

Thomas is currently remanded to the Albany County Correctional Facility awaiting transfer to a state facility.