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2 killed, 2 injured in Walden police chase crash

Two women were killed and two children were hurt after police say a driver took off during a traffic stop Friday and crashed into another vehicle.

News 12 Staff

Nov 1, 2021, 4:33 PM

Updated 1,145 days ago

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The Attorney General's Office is now investigating a deadly head-on crash in Orange County.
The office is involved because the woman who allegedly caused the accident that killed two people was being pursued by police at the time.
Police were pursuing an erratic driver nearby and ended up on Route 52 in Montgomery – where the driver crossed the double yellow line and crashed into 35-year-old Elizabeth Bello's car on Friday night. 
"She was going under the speed limit. Going over to the other lane, almost hitting the guiderail on the other side," says Lynn Conklin, of Walden. 
Conklin says she called 911 after the driver police identify as 52-year-old Joann Schields crossed into oncoming traffic and almost hit at least five cars before police caught up with her.
Authorities say they were pursuing the Pine Bush woman when she drove into oncoming traffic and crashed into Bello's car a short distance later.
Both drivers died. Bello's 6- and 16-year-old kids remain hospitalized with broken bones but are expected to survive.
State police are investigating whether Schields may have been intoxicated.
The Attorney General's Office is also involved since the double fatal crash involved a police pursuit.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the Ulster County mom of three, who was well-known as a manager at several Keybank locations in Orange County.
She is survived by her husband Jose and their three children.