An ordinary Election Day morning ended in tragedy for 87-year-old Helen T. Gambino of Brewster, New York, after a three-vehicle crash claimed her life in Putnam County. Gambino died following the collision, which happened around 7:20 a.m. Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at the intersection of Danbury Road and Dingle Ridge Road in the Town of Southeast.
According to New York State Police, Gambino was driving a 2024 Subaru and had stopped at a stop sign on Dingle Ridge Road. She was attempting to make a left turn onto Danbury Road when her vehicle was struck by an eastbound 2015 BMW.
The BMW was driven by 19-year-old Caua Dos Santos Rocha of Danbury, Connecticut. The collision sent Gambino’s Subaru overturning before it came to rest in the center median.
The crash did not end with the initial impact. The BMW continued into a second collision, striking a 2009 Honda driven by 23-year-old Devin S. Reynoso, also of Danbury, Connecticut. Reynoso was traveling eastbound in the right lane when the vehicles collided.
Emergency responders rushed to help those involved. Gambino was transported to Danbury Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Rocha was also taken to the hospital with injuries described by authorities as non-life-threatening. Reynoso escaped the crash without injuries.
The sudden loss of an 87-year-old woman has left a painful reminder of how quickly an ordinary trip can turn into a life-changing tragedy. Gambino was a resident of Brewster, and her death has brought attention to a serious collision involving three drivers from two neighboring communities.
State Police have not announced any further findings about what led to the collision. As of Wednesday morning, November 4, investigators said the crash remained under investigation, with no additional updates available.
For Gambino’s loved ones, the immediate concern is no longer the traffic investigation but the loss of someone whose place in their lives cannot simply be replaced. She was 87 years old, and her life ended following a crash that unfolded in a matter of moments on a New York roadway.