Press release from the Genesee County Sheriff's Office:
At about 6:24 a.m. today the Genesee County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a head-on motor-vehicle accident with serious physical injury in the area of Route 5 and Clipnock Road in the Town of Stafford. Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2007 Chevrolet pickup truck being driven by Thomas J. Manzella, 24, of Batavia, was traveling westbound on Route 5 when he lost control of the vehicle on snow-covered roads.
The pickup truck spun counterclockwise, sliding sideways as it crossed into the eastbound lane and into the path of a 2006 Mack roll-off container truck being operated by Curtiss L. Mallory, 32, of Buffalo.
Following the impact, both vehicles traveled off of the south shoulder of Route 5 where they came to rest. Mallory immediately called 9-1-1 prompting the response of Sheriff's Office patrols along with ambulances from Mercy Emergency Medical Services and responders from the Stafford Fire Department.
Manzella was extricated from the vehicle and transported via ambulance to United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, where he succumbed to his injuries sustained in the crash.
Weather conditions including blowing snow and poor road conditions are believed to have been contributing factors in the crash.
A minor fuel spill from the Mack container truck was addressed at the scene by the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Route 5 in the area of the accident remained closed for several hours while the accident was being investigated.
The accident investigation is being conducted by deputies Nati, Andre, Wilson, Erion, and investigators Diehl and Parker, and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office Crash Management Unit.
Assisting at the scene were Mercy EMS, the Stafford Fire Department, NY State DEC, and the Genesee County Office of Emergency Management.
