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Updated 12/02/2012 06:15 PM

Two killed, three injured in Northway crash

By: Web Staff

Grief counselors were at Shenendehowa High School after two students died and another was injured in a crash Saturday night on the Northway. A fourth student from Shaker High School was also hospitalized. YNN's Beth Croughan has more.

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HALFMOON, N.Y. -- State Police have released more details on Saturday night's Northway crash that killed two Shenendehowa seniors.

Chris Stewart and Deanna Rivers, both 17 and athletes at the high school, died in the crash.

Stewart was a lineman on the varsity football team and Rivers was a second baseman and outfielder on the varsity softball team.

Three others were injured in the accident, including another Shenendehowa student and a Shaker High School student.

State Police say the injured Shenendehowa student was junior Mathew Hardy, who remains in serious but stable condition at Albany Med.

The Shaker High school student is senior Bailey Wind, who is also at Albany Med with serious injuries and broken bones.

Police say Dennis Drue, 22, of Clifton Park, was responsible for the crash.

According to police, Drue was driving under the influence of alcohol and hit Stewart's SUV from behind at a high rate of speed, causing it to go off the road and roll over multiple times. State Police say Drue has a history of traffic violations, but no indications of a criminal record.

"I will tell you at the scene and subsequent to the scene, a breath screening test was conducted on Mr. Drue and on each occasion, there was a positive test for alcohol. Mr. Drue does have a prior history as far as a driving record. He has a record involving speeds and suspensions and revocations spanning back from 2008 up to 2011," said New York State Police Captain Steven James.

Drue is being treated for minor injuries at Ellis Hospital and could be released Monday.
Based on further testing, Drue could be charged with criminally negligent homicide or vehicular manslaughter.

Police confirmed the four high school students were coming from the Siena vs. UAlbany men's basketball game on Saturday night.



Dr. L. Oliver Robinson, Shenendehowa School District Superintendent, spoke on Sunday afternoon regarding the fatal crash.

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State Police held a news conference on Sunday. You can watch that in its entirety below.

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