PERU — Area law-enforcement are mourning the death of one of their own, killed in a motorcycle crash Thursday.
Trooper Travis Capen was off-duty midday Thursday when he rode his bike through the intersection of Dashnaw and Lapham Mills roads and was struck by an oncoming car.
After a preliminary investigation, State Police believe the other driver, Michael Keenan, 61, of Peru, was driving his Chevy Impala north on Dashnaw Road around 11 a.m., when he stopped at the stop sign and pulled into the intersection.
Police said Keenan didn’t see the eastbound motorcyclist when he pulled into the road and smashed into Capen’s 1999 Suzuki.
Capen, a 29-year-old local father, suffered extensive injuries when he was thrown from his bike.
Both drivers were taken by ambulance to CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh, where Capen was pronounced dead on arrival.
Keenan was later listed in stable condition.
The notorious intersection —the site of several serious accidents in the past — was blocked for several hours Thursday afternoon as authorities continued their investigation.
Capen had been on the force since 2005 and resided in Morrisonville with his wife and young children.
He was most often on highway patrol based out of the State Police station in Valcour, Capt. Robert LaFountain said.
Capen was also head varsity wrestling coach at AuSable Valley High School and was active with his team throughout the year.
He was a graduate of AVCS, where he had been a member of the wrestling team.
After the crash, Troop B Commander Maj. Richard C. Smith Jr. called Capen’s death a tragic loss.
“On behalf of all New York State Police members and civilian personnel, I would like to extend my condolences to the family of Travis A. Capen, who proudly served the Division of State Police since 2005,” Smith said in a statement.
“He was a dedicated public servant, and this is a great loss to our organization and the community Trooper Capen served. ”
Police are continuing to investigate Capen’s death. An autopsy will be performed tomorrow.
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