Cablevision Sub-Contractor Dies After Fall on River Road

A Cablevision sub-contractor died after a fall from a ladder on River Road off the Bronx River Parkway in Scarsdale on Wednesday July 31. Valentine Campbell, age 39 of Hollis Queens had parked his truck on the east side of River Road and was standing on a ladder that was leaning on a utility pole across the street on the west side of River Road around 8 pm Wednesday. A 65 year-old resident, driving up River Road in a 2001 Kia toward Walworth Avenue, veered to avoid the parked truck and struck the ladder, causing Campbell to fall 30 feet to the ground. The driver of the car said "I did not see the ladder." It was dark at the time and no safety cones had been placed to deter traffic. After the accident, the driver drove back to his house, called 911, and then returned to the scene.

Campbell was treated and then transported to Westchester Medical Center by the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps, where he died at 1 am on Thursday August 1. The autopsy showed that he died from multiple body trauma after the 30 foot fall to the pavement. He worked for Connect One in Connecticut, which is a Cablevision subcontractor.

The driver agreed to be tested and had no traces of alcohol. The death was ruled to be an accident.

Commenting on the accident, Amy Stern of River Road said, "We returned home to find our street was blocked off. The police only told us that there had been an injury on our block. The emergency vehicles were there for hours. The next day I saw a blood-drenched shirt still laying in the street. It's very sad." Another resident added, "We have been trying to get speed bumps on our street for years, because some cars speed down our street as if they're already on the parkway. Now maybe the Village will fiinally listen to us."

The Scarsdale Police Department and the Westchester County Police Accident Investigation Unit are conducting an investigation. No summonses were issued.