Rt. 12 crash kills two

NORWICH – The Chenango County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scenes of two serious accidents this weekend, one that claimed the lives of two area residents.

Kimberly L. Riopel, 43, of County Rd. 2, Greene, and Brian Knapp, 33, of Carmichael Road, Binghamton, were both killed in a head-on collision, which occurred just after 5 p.m. on state Rt. 12 near the Halfway House Bridge in the Town of Norwich.

Kimberly Riopel was northbound on Rt. 12, when a second car, driven by Cameron Gilbert, 19, of Oak Drive, Hamilton, allegedly crossed the center line and struck her vehicle. The Sheriff’s Department reported that Riopel was killed instantly. Knapp was airlifted to Wilson Regional Medical Center in Johnson City, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.



A third passenger in Riopel’s vehicle, Raymond Riopel, 36, also of County Rd. 2, Greene, was transported to Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich for treatment of undisclosed minor injuries.

Gilbert, listed on Colgate University’s Web site as a student in the school’s class of 2010, was transported to Wilson Regional Medical Center, where he was treated for a broken wrist. Gilbert has been charged with failure to keep right and unlawful possession of marijuana. He was given appearance tickets and is scheduled to appear in Town of Norwich Court on June 5.

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Reader Response

3 comments on this story

mary4278
May 13th, 2008 at 10:12 am
This just doesn't make sence ,I agree 2 dead and only minor tickets given what is up with that? These 2 people were wonderful people who leave children and a disabled husband .
something more needs to be done with this drug
bussiness. Brian and Kim may you rest in peace
KimHoag
May 12th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Two dead and he was only given tickets for failure to keep right and unlawful possession of marijuana?????
scottyrude
May 12th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Brian.. will be missed greatly . He loved his kids and was a man of faith. He always had an open ear. We talked about things beyond work and talked just Friday afternoon during lunch about how short life is. You never know the day or the hour. The last thing I said to him was that I loved him and I would see him Monday morning. The pain hurts so bad right now and my thoughts and prayers are with his parents, sister and his two daughters he loved so much. I will see him once again and I know that God has got Brian in his arms and saying "welcome home". He has left a mark on my life and it won't be erased anytime soon. Miss ya bro.... from "the truck of Love".......... 11 !!!!!!!!
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