At roughly 9:30 a.m. on November 4, 2025, a startling call pierced the stillness of a quiet country road in the Town of Richfield Springs, New York. A passerby dialed 911 after spotting what appeared to be the rear end of a car dipping into a pond at the intersection of U.S. Route 20 and Skinner Road.
When troopers from the New York State Police arrived, they discovered a lone vehicle—a Mitsubishi Mirage—fully submerged in the icy water. Inside was the driver, identified later as 39-year-old Rachel Galesky of Richfield Springs. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigation reveals that sometime overnight Ms. Galesky was heading along Cole Hill Road when she failed to stop at the posted stop sign at its junction with U.S. Route 20. Instead of halting, her vehicle allegedly left the roadway and plunged into the nearby pond.
Emergency crews sprang into action. Members of the Underwater Recovery Team, along with Richfield Fire & EMS and the Otsego County Coroner’s Office, worked through the recovery of the vehicle and gathering of evidence at the scene.
Despite their efforts, the question of why the crash occurred remains unsettled. State Police say the investigation is ongoing as they examine factors such as road conditions, vehicle state, possible impairment and visibility.
Friends and neighbors in the close-knit community of Richfield Springs are reeling. Galesky, though private, was known locally; the abruptness of the incident has left many searching for answers and mourning someone whose life was cut short without warning.
This tragic single-car crash serves as a stark reminder of how swiftly everyday roads can turn lethal. As authorities dig deeper into the case, the focus remains on piecing together the final hours of Rachel’s journey and preventing future heartbreak in a small town that now shares in the sorrow.