WALKER VALLEY – Sixteen year old Tasia Quackenbush died last November 28, the sole victim of a one-vehicle car accident. The investigation of that accident ultimately led to charges against Alycia Geiss, 18, who was driving at the time the car left the road and hit a tree side-on. Geiss was found to have alcohol in her system when she was given a blood test more than two hours after the accident.

It seems simple enough: the kids had been at a party, and there'd been alcohol, this tragedy the result. But a closer look, with details provided by Lisa Miller, Tasia's mother, reveals more heartbreaking complications.

At the time of the accident, there were two 16 year olds in the car, Kristie Avato and Tasia. They were best friends, and they had been since they were in first grade together. Lisa Miller says, "They were the kind of friends who were always staying over at each other's houses. They had even gone on vacation with each other's families." The families lived within two miles of each other in Walker Valley.

The night before, all three girls had been at a party at Anthony Ozga's place on Sinsabaugh Road, at the eastern end of Walker Valley, close to Pine Bush. Ozga, 46, and Stephanie Conservo, 44, have both been charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child, which is a misdemeanor, along with contravention of Ulster County Local Law #2, which forbids anyone from allowing alcohol or drugs to be consumed at a party by a minor at premises that "they control." They are due to appear at Town of Shawangunk Court at a later date.

Ozga is said to have shut down that party, and the kids attending it left. The fatal accident would take place many hours later.

Apparently, all three kids went on to another party in Circleville about ten miles away. It is alleged that more drinking took place there. It is not known if they travelled there together, or if Alycia Geiss drove them there.

Kristie Avato left that party, borrowed Alycia Geiss's car, and drove home to her house in Walker Valley.

At some point after that, Tasia Quackenbush texted a friend, woke him up, and persuaded him to give her a ride back to Kristie's house. The two 16 year old girls slept at Avato's house.

Alycia Geiss appears to have stayed at the party in Circleville.

The next morning, Alycia got a ride from someone over to Walker Valley to pick up her car at Avato's house. She got there about 9:30 a.m. She suggested that Kristie and Tasia come with her to get some breakfast at the Borderline Deli down on Burlingham Road. Tasia was unwilling at first, but was persuaded to join the other two in the car. Tasia got into the back seat. It seems, tragically, that she did not use the safety belt.

Alycia Geiss drove out, turned down the hill heading east, and lost control at the curve, striking the tree side on. The accident was perhaps a tenth of a mile from Avato's house. Tasia was badly injured, was taken to Ellenville Hospital, and then flown to Westchester Medical Center, where she died. Her mother, Lisa Miller, was with her on the flight and at the Medical Center.

"Tasia was a very mature person for her age. She had travelled a great deal, been to Russia several times, and she had an effect on other people. Twelve-hundred people came to her wake. It's been very difficult dealing with this. You teach your kid to do the right thing, and she did that at the party. I just don't know what happened in the morning."

Tests were performed on Tasia Quackenbush. "They did a medical exam," says Lisa Miller. "They tested her hair follicles, her blood and her liver, and everything came back negative. She had no drugs, no alcohol in her system."

Alycia Geiss was arraigned on February 27. She appeared in Ulster County Court on March 9. Gerard Van Loan, Assistant District Attorney said, "This was her first day in court with her attorney. She has not made a plea, yet."

Alycia Geiss will be back in court in mid-April.

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