UTICA, NY – On Tuesday, Utica Police and Utica Fire units were dispatched to a motorcycle accident on Route 12 N near the Oriskany St exit. Upon arrival, they found 43-year-old Justin Knaperek of Clinton, NY, who had died instantly from his injuries.
Preliminary findings suggest that a dog entering the roadway may have led to Knaperek hitting a side barrier, resulting in the crash. Route 12 was temporarily closed as the Utica Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team conducted an investigation. The investigation is still ongoing.