Richfield Springs Woman Identified After Vehicle Found Submerged in Pond

RICHFIELD SPRINGS, N.Y. — New York State Police have identified the victim in a tragic crash discovered Tuesday morning in Otsego County. Authorities say 39-year-old Rachel Galesky, of Richfield Springs, was found deceased inside a vehicle that had become submerged in a pond near the intersection of U.S. Route 20 and Skinner Road.

According to State Police, troopers were dispatched to the scene around 9:30 a.m. on November 4 after a passerby noticed part of a vehicle sticking out of the water and called 911. Upon arrival, officers located a Mitsubishi Mirage submerged in the pond and found Galesky inside. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

A preliminary investigation indicates that Galesky had been driving on Cole Hill Road overnight when she reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection with Route 20, causing her vehicle to travel off the roadway and into the pond.

Members of the New York State Police Underwater Recovery Team, Richfield Fire and EMS, and the Otsego County Coroner’s Office all assisted at the scene as authorities worked to recover the vehicle and investigate the circumstances of the crash.

State Police said the investigation remains ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident.