DRYDEN, NY — New York State Police arrested a box truck driver on a driving while intoxicated charge following a crash that left his vehicle on its side April 2, 2026.
Troopers from the Ithaca barracks were dispatched at approximately 8:53 a.m. by the Tompkins County 911 Center to a report of a tractor trailer on its side off the roadway on Slaterville Road.
An investigation determined the box truck was making a right turn from a driveway onto Slaterville Road when the operator failed to maintain a lane and went off the roadway.
The truck struck an earth embankment and then a tree, causing it to land on its passenger side.
A 30-year-old male passenger sustained facial injuries and was transported by ambulance to Cayuga Medical Center for treatment.
While interviewing the operator, Augusto Joe Alvarez Hernandez, 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a trooper observed signs of impairment.
After performing poorly on standardized field sobriety tests, Alvarez Hernandez was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, a misdemeanor.
Alvarez Hernandez was processed at State Police Ithaca and then transported to the Tompkins County Jail for centralized arraignment.
Members of the New York State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit responded to the scene.
Troopers were assisted by the Varna Fire Department and the Department of Environmental Conservation for spill response.
