County official killed in crash
JCC president was bicycling on Route 30By KAYLEIGH KARUTIS, The Leader-Herald
MAYFIELD - A local businessman and Fulton County planning official was killed by a dump truck Wednesday as he rode his bicycle on Route 30.
Michael Lewy, 64, of 158 Priddle Point Road was headed south on his bicycle about 3:51 p.m. when he tried to cross the street and turn left onto Brower Road. State police said he crossed into the path of a Cady Co. dump truck driven by Knieland Owens, 60, of Fultonville, and the two collided.
Lewy was pronounced dead at the scene by Fulton County Coroner Margaret Luck.
State police Investigator Wayne Matice said witnesses reported Lewy was not looking when he turned.
Lewy was wearing headphones when the accident took place, which Matice said may have contributed to the accident. Lewy was not wearing a helmet.
Matice said troopers do not expect to issue any tickets in the accident.
Fulton County Planning Department Director James Mraz said Lewy had been an active member of the department for at least 10 years.
"He had a strong interest in Fulton County and in where he lived," Mraz said. "Mike's objective was to try and make Fulton County a better place to live and do business, and that's what his passion was."
Lewy also was president of the Board of Directors at the Jewish Community Center in Gloversville. He had been the president there "off and on" for 15 years, said Executive Director Marylou Shepard.
"He was a very important part of the community, and we're going to miss him," Shepard said. "It's very shocking. The saddest part is it was his birthday this weekend and his family was coming to visit."
Shepard said Lewy had previously served on the Mayfield Central School District Board of Education.
He co-founded Orthotronics, a Gloversville company that repaired and recycled orthodontics materials. He created the company with Dr. Richard Vlock in the early 1980s and sold the company to Michelle Warner in 2003, Warner said.
"He was more or less our maintenance man," she said. "He made all the machines, so he would fix them for us when they broke. He was probably in here three or four days a week."
Warner said Lewy was an active person who swam at the Jewish Community Center pool every morning. He was an avid cross-country skier and enjoyed boating on the Great Sacandaga Lake.
Kayleigh Karutis covers rural Fulton County news. She can be reached by e-mail at ruralnews@leaderherald.com.
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EXGLOVERSVILLIAN
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07-18-08 11:03 AM
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Is this Kate Lewy's dad?
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