Trooper, 30, from Dexter killed in crash

Only hours after being in Jefferson County to help his mother celebrate her election as county clerk, State Trooper David J. Lane was killed Wednesday afternoon in an accident with his patrol car in Greene County, according to state police.

Trooper Lane, 30, son of Cheryl D. and Stephen R. Lane, Dexter, struck a utility pole on Route 32 in the town of Catskill at 2:25 p.m. Police said in a press release that he was northbound when he attempted to pass another northbound auto. The vehicles made contact, and his patrol vehicle went off the road and hit the pole, police said.

Further details were not provided as police continued their investigation.

Law enforcement sources said Trooper Lane was in Watertown on Tuesday night to enjoy watching the count of votes as his mother won election to be the next Jefferson County clerk.

A 1997 graduate of General Brown High School, where he excelled in sports, he served in the U.S. Army's C Company, 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, based in Fort Bragg, N.C. His service included stints in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While in Iraq early in 2004, he discovered a bomb hidden in a concrete block near his position before it could be detonated. He was quoted in the Washington Post about the incident, in which he said he saw an antenna protruding from the block.

He attended Albany State University, but was prompted to joined the Army on Oct. 1, 2001, by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, his father told the Times in 2004.

Trooper Lane graduated from the State Police Academy in March 2006, and did his field training in the Watertown zone. While on solo patrol in June 2007, he became involved in a foot chase at Dexter before arresting a suspect on nine charges, including possession of stolen property.

It was not clear Wednesday when he transferred into Troop F, headquartered at Middletown. He was assigned to the Catskill station, police said.

Times staff writer Jude Seymour contributed to this report.