A 10-wheel dump truck carrying gravel overturned at the intersection of Big Ridge and Manitou Roads in Ogden, New York, on September 6, 2024, crushing the passenger car beneath it. Jillian Branciforte, a 29-year-old English as a New Language teacher at Greece Olympia High School, died at the scene.
Emergency responders arrived around 2:45 PM to find the commercial vehicle on its side, its full weight resting on top of the smaller car. The dump truck driver survived with minor injuries and received treatment at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Ogden Police Chief Travis Gray told reporters that drugs and alcohol did not appear to be factors in the crash. The intersection remained closed for several hours while investigators documented the scene.
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Second Day of School Year Ends in Tragedy
The fatal collision occurred just two days after Greece Central School District students returned to classes. Branciforte had been teaching since fall 2019 at Greece Olympia, where she led the Newcomer Program for students learning English.
Born March 2, 1995, Branciforte grew up in the Rochester area and graduated from Hilton High School in 2013. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from St. John Fisher University in 2017, including a semester studying abroad at the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. She completed her Master of Science in Education at Nazareth College in 2019.
By September 2024, she had taken on leadership roles as ENL team leader and National Junior Honor Society advisor. Greece Olympia Principal Brandin Jones wrote on Facebook that she was “kind, loving, supportive, committed and a down right excellent teacher.”
Students Learn of Death Hours After Crash
The Greece Central School District announced Branciforte’s death on Saturday, September 7. District officials brought in Trauma, Illness, and Grief support teams to help students and staff.
One student, identified in news reports as Abby, received a phone call Friday night. “She called me and just said, ‘Miss Branciforte died.’ And I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ And I was just, I, like, didn’t believe it. I had just seen her at school.”
Abby told Rochester First that Branciforte would stay after school for extended conversations with students before soccer games. “After school, I would talk to her for hours before she would go home. And I would just talk to her about the most random stuff. She was just always there for me.”
On Monday, September 9, students across the district wore purple in Branciforte’s memory. Colleagues placed flowers on her classroom desk.
Investigation Produces No Public Updates After 13 Months
Police Chief Gray said in September 2024 that the investigation would continue, but he provided no timeline for completion. He did not release the dump truck driver’s name or discuss potential charges.
As of October 2025, public records searches found no court filings or announcements from the Monroe County District Attorney’s office. The investigation’s conclusions have not been made public, leaving Branciforte’s family, students, and colleagues without explanation for what caused the rollover or whether safety violations contributed to her death.
Commercial vehicle crashes typically require examining driver qualifications, vehicle maintenance records, cargo securement, and compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. The New York State Police typically assigns Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Units to investigate crashes involving trucks and buses. These specialized investigators examine logbooks, maintenance records, and driver qualifications to determine whether regulatory violations occurred.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, rollover crashes involving commercial vehicles often result from multiple factors including speed relative to road geometry, load distribution, and vehicle stability. Dump trucks have a high center of gravity that increases rollover risk, particularly when carrying heavy loads through turns and intersections.
The Democrat and Chronicle reported on the crash in September 2024, but no follow-up stories have appeared documenting the investigation’s progress or resolution.
Colleagues Describe Teacher Who Advocated for Students
Debora Marques-daSilva worked with Branciforte at Greece Olympia. She wrote in a condolence message: “She came to observe me at Olympia before she graduated from St. John Fisher. Soon after that, she became a colleague, my ENL leader, my school momma, a dear friend. She was good to peers, kids, animals, etc.”
Cheyenne Wright, a teacher who encountered Branciforte during student teaching, remembered her calm presence. “When I met Jill, I couldn’t have guessed it was her first year teaching because of how poised, calm, and confident she was. She was always there, not just for her students, but for other teachers and anyone who asked for help.”
Kim Abramow, whose daughter had Branciforte as a teacher and lived next door to her, said the relationship developed quickly. “Jill would often have little chats with my daughter at school and at home. She was always supportive of her and they began to develop a relationship. My daughter was ecstatic she was her ELA teacher this year and we are both devastated by this news.”
Kristen Bianchi, a fellow ENL teacher, described Branciforte’s work with newcomer students. “Working in sister schools, we often shared the same families as students and I was able to experience first hand Jill’s heart and compassion, especially for our Newcomer students.”
Visitation Draws Community Members, Former Students
A celebration of life took place Wednesday, September 11, 2024, from 3 PM to 7 PM at Bartolomeo & Perotto Funeral Home in Greece. The family requested memorial donations to Greece Olympia High School or St. John Fisher College instead of flowers.
More than 30 people left messages in the online guestbook. Rachel Williams, who studied abroad with Branciforte in Spain, wrote: “I hold the memories we made while in Spain even tighter now. Your spirit of friendship, justice, and adventure will live on forever.”
Peggy Popp of Ogden, who did not know Branciforte personally, wrote: “From what I read, she was a wonderful girl who was loved by everyone and everybody. Jillian’s loss is felt by the entire Rochester community.”
Wedding Planned for December 2024 Never Takes Place
Branciforte was engaged to Chris Blyth and had been planning a December 2024 wedding with a winter theme featuring pine trees and snowflakes. She lived with her parents, James and Debra Branciforte, along with her dog Ellie. Her sister Chloe and brother Zachary both maintained close relationships with her.
According to her obituary, she loved fashion, particularly anything pink with polka dots or bows. She volunteered with Teddi Dance for Love and Fairy Godmothers of Rochester. Friends remembered her passion for thrifting, reading, and travel.
Memorial Fund Supports Future Educators
The memorial fund established through Greece Olympia High School and St. John Fisher College continues accepting donations. The funds support students pursuing careers in education or language instruction.
Both institutions released statements expressing condolences after the crash. The Hilton Central School District, where Branciforte graduated in 2013, also acknowledged her death on social media.
The Jillian Branciforte car accident on September 6, 2024, took the life of an educator who had spent five years building relationships with students learning English at Greece Olympia High School. As of October 2025, more than 13 months after the crash, the Ogden Police Department has not announced whether the investigation concluded or if the dump truck driver faces any charges. Branciforte’s students returned to Greece Olympia for a second school year without her, her memorial fund continues supporting future teachers, and her family waits for answers about how the crash occurred and whether it could have been prevented.
