Adele Mancuso of Toms River, N.J., and formerly of Larchmont, was driving to her sister's Connecticut home to dog sit about 2:45 p.m., when the trailer's wheels came loose as it exited I-95 onto Interstate 287 at Exit 21. Police said the wheels traveled across three southbound lanes, striking Mancuso's car in the far left northbound lane.
"The tractor-trailer lost the whole rear axle with two wheels attached," state police Investigator Joseph Beccera said. "The entire axle compartment went airborne about 100 yards and crashed into the windshield and roof of the northbound vehicle."
Mancuso, formerly of 1299 Palmer Ave., Larchmont, had recently moved to Toms River to live with her boyfriend. She was killed instantly, Beccera said, noting the axle and wheels that struck her weighed well over 200 pounds and likely caused lethal injuries to her head and neck.
Police said Mancuso's mother, an 84-year-old Constance Casalina of Larchmont, was a passenger in the car and sustained what Beccera described as "miraculously" minor injuries. She was taken to Stamford Hospital, where she was treated for cuts to her arm.
After the crash Tuesday afternoon, the car involved, a Chevrolet Cavalier, was partially covered with a yellow tarpaulin. The roof was almost entirely collapsed and the windshield crushed.
Police said the driver of the tractor-trailer did not stop, but that investigators, using a license plate provided by someone at the scene, were able to locate him Tuesday evening in New Jersey.
Police had not charged the tractor-trailer driver with any wrongdoing in the crash by press time, but were questioning him, Beccera said.
His name was not released.
Police are asking for the public's help in locating a Hispanic male witness who might have stopped the tractor trailer on I-287 and informed the driver of his missing wheels.
Police said the tractor trailer drove off after speaking with the Hispanic driver.
All three northbound lanes were closed for about an hour and a half. The right lane was reopened for travel shortly after 4:30 p.m., but hours later, traffic remained at a near-standstill and was backed up far to the south.
The damaged car was sitting atop a flatbed tow truck at 6:15 p.m. as investigators continued their work. A crowd watched from a nearby overpass.
Patricia Carriere, 41, of Port Chester walked from her home to view the scene from the Grace Church Street overpass.
"Since I live right here, I just came to see," she said. "I just feel bad for the person that died."
Carriere said her husband uses I-95 often as a truck driver and that she has ridden along in his 18-wheeler. In her opinion, it was possible the driver of the tractor-trailer never realized a pair of wheels came off.
"If it was two middle ones," she said, "I don't even think you could notice."
Jose Lopez, an employee with Hannigan's Towing in Port Chester, said he towed Mancuso's Cavalier to the state police barracks in Tarrytown about 7:20 p.m.
Lopez said that during his 15-year career as a tow truck driver, he had seen numerous incidents similar to Tuesday's crash.
"That's why I've got to wake up and kiss my wife every day before I leave for work," he said. "You never know what's going to happen out there."
Shortly before 9 p.m., police reported all northbound lanes on I-95 had been reopened.
If you have information about the crash or the witness police are searching for, please contact the State Police at 914-524-0223 or 914-524-0229.
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