Scarsdale Man Charged In I-684 Crash That Left Woman Dead

SOMERS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Westchester County man faces serious charges after getting into a wrong-way crash on Interstate 684 that left a woman dead, police said.

Elena Lopez, 64, of Mount Kisco was killed in the collision in Bedford early Sunday morning, CBS2's Dick Brennan reported.

Lopez was driving southbound on I-684 when a driver exited a rest area in Bedford going the wrong way and headed northbound into the southbound lanes, according to police. The two cars collided head-on, cops said.

"We had a call of a wrong-way driver," said state police Capt. Douglas Larkin. "We dispatched a state police patrol to it. Within a minute, we got a call of this accident."

Police say the wrong-way driver was 23-year-old Zachary Tokson, of Scarsdale. He's been charged with criminally negligent homicide.

"There's early indications that Mr. Tokson was under the influence of alcohol, and we are awaiting blood tests to confirm that," Larkin said.

Tokson and his passenger were treated at Westchester Medical Center for minor injuries. A third vehicle heading southbound was sideswiped by Tokson's car. The three passengers in that car were not injured.

Tokson is being held on $100,000 bond in the Westchester County jail. He is due in court Tuesday.

Lopez's neighbors don't understand how the tragedy could have happened.

"That really broke my heart," said neighbor Helga Villafuerte. "I never expected that news about her. She didn't deserve it.

"Very nice lady, very good neighbor," she added. "I will always remember her."

State police are asking anyone who might have been driving on I-684 on Sunday morning and saw anything related to the crash to call them.