In New York State can an employer legally take your pay check and cash it without my signature/authorization?

While at work today I accidentally hit a gutter in a company truck and I have to pay for the replacement of it. When I got back to the shop I went to pick up my pay check and Human Resources said that the owner took it and cashed it. Is that legal? Is it not like a normal check that is in my name that needs my signature? How could he cash it without my authorization? I understand that I have to pay for the damages; Kinda(shouldn't there be company insurance for that kind of thing? I mean its a business that delivers things) But wouldn't that mean we would have to fill out paper to garnish my wages or have a agreement on the side to give him money. How could he take my check? And the pay checks go through a third party company not just straight from him.