At least seven people received medical treatment after a vehicle they were in went off the road and down an embankment near the Angola Service Center on the New York State Thruway.

Erie County Sheriff’s Department noted on its Facebook page, they — along with New York State Police, Evans Police Department, Evans Center Volunteer Fire Company, Eden Fire Department, Gowanda Fire Department, Eden EMS and Erie County EMS — responded to the accident around 11 a.m. Sunday. Upon arrival, deputies located the vehicle on its roof at the bottom of the embankment at a distance of approximately 150 feet.

With the assistance of Evans Center Volunteer Fire Company personnel, deputies conducted a rope rescue, descending to the bottom of the embankment and assisting in the medical care of the seven occupants. All of the victims were transported to local hospitals by Evans Center Fire, Erie County EMS and Mercy Flight.

“Each of our Special Operations units are specially trained for scenarios exactly like this,” said Sheriff John Garcia. “This is why we prioritize training and experience at the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. I commend all of the first responders who were on scene for their work.”

State police reported their investigation revealed that a 2025 Honda SUV being operated by Gyanendra Timalsina, age 39, of Pickerington, Ohio, was travelling east on the Thruway when it entered the ramp to the rest area. The operator pressed the accelerator instead of the brakes and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle ran over a traffic sign, crashed through a chain link fence, and travelled about 150 feet down into a ravine, landing on its roof.

A 10-year-old child was airlifted to Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo with non-life-threatening head, arm and leg injuries. A 6-year-old and 13-year-old were also transported to Oishei with minor injuries. The driver and the other two passengers, ages 66 and 65, were transported to Erie County Medical Center with minor injuries. All the passengers were from Ohio.