NY Man Brian Appelbergh ID’d As Victim Killed Avoiding Fallen Tree In Mount Pleasant

HAWTHORNE, N.Y. (THECOUNT) — Brian Appelbergh, of Carmel, New York, was killed Monday morning after swerving to avoid a fallen tree on Route 9A in the Hawthorne section of the Town of Mount Pleasant, Westchester County, New York, according to the Westchester County Police Department.

Appelbergh was 36 years of age.

The fatal crash occurred at approximately 7:36 a.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026, on southbound Route 9A approximately 100 yards past the entrance ramp from Route 117 in the Hawthorne section of Mount Pleasant.

According to investigators, a 911 caller reported that part of a fallen tree was blocking the left lane of southbound Route 9A when she witnessed a vehicle swerve to avoid the debris, lose control, and crash into a tree along the right shoulder. Officers arrived at 7:41 a.m. and found tree debris in the roadway and Appelbergh’s vehicle farther down the road. Appelbergh was found unresponsive inside the vehicle. Officers worked to free him, removing him from the car at 8:05 a.m. and performing CPR at the scene.

Appelbergh was transported to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, where he was pronounced dead.

All lanes of Route 9A were closed between Route 117 and the Saw Mill River Parkway as of approximately 7:37 a.m. while authorities investigated the crash and crews cleared the fallen tree from the roadway. The closure remained in effect for several hours.

The investigation is being led by Westchester County Police. No additional contributing factors have been released.

Route 9A is a major north-south state highway that runs through the western portion of Westchester County, paralleling the Saw Mill River Parkway and serving communities including Elmsford, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Pleasantville, Hawthorne, and Ossining. The Hawthorne section of Mount Pleasant sits near the interchange with the Saw Mill River Parkway and is a heavily traveled commuter corridor connecting Westchester’s northern communities to the lower county and New York City metro area.

The Town of Mount Pleasant is located in central Westchester County and encompasses the hamlets of Hawthorne, Pleasantville, Valhalla, and Thornwood. The town borders White Plains to the south, the Town of New Castle to the north, and the Village of Sleepy Hollow to the west. Westchester County as a whole is home to approximately 1 million residents and forms part of the greater New York City metropolitan area.

Carmel, where Appelbergh resided, is a town in Putnam County located approximately 25 miles northeast of Mount Pleasant. It is home to roughly 35,000 residents and is situated along the Putnam County border just north of Westchester. The community is part of the New York City commuter belt and is accessible via Interstate 684 and the Harlem Line of the Metro-North Railroad.

Fallen trees on roadways are a recurring hazard across Westchester and Putnam counties, particularly following overnight wind events and storms. The incident underscores the dangers posed by road debris during morning commute conditions.

Approximate crash scene location — Route 9A southbound near Route 117, Hawthorne, Town of Mount Pleasant, Westchester County, New York: View on Google Maps

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